Tideswept (Book 3)
by FiresFromOurHearts
Summary: Sasuke is finally a ninja and can make an active attempt to change the world, just like Toru has. He's ready to take on the world and fight back, to reach beyond the shield Toru offers and grasp everything around him. Toru continues to fight for what he wants and what he loves, but Uzushio is a call on the wind . He doesn't know how much longer he can ignore the call home.
1. Forethought

In the Ninja Academy's office of the Headmistress, Koharu Utatane, the Headmistress and one of her subordinates wait for their tea to cool. "What are the graduating genin looking like?" Koharu asks as she lifts her teacup.

Iruka Umino, looking as harried as ever, sighs in frustration, "I don't think anyone has ever been more willing to let a class go and simultaneously so sad."

"This was the class you started with, was it not?" Iruka dips in his head in agreement. "Although, this load of genin have always been more rambunctious than others. The problem of having numerous clan heirs in one place."

"One cannot forget the fact they're teenagers as well," Iruka adds with a wry grin. "A good class, but, well."

"Indeed," comes the Headmistress' response, her own smile echoing Iruka's. "The apprenticeships have all gone by now, and we have spoken over those genin at length. Would you mind telling me what the genin are currently looking like? We can discuss teams afterwards."

Taking a sip of his tea, before placing the teacup down, Iruka finally opens the first manila folder in front of him. "I'll start with Shino Aburame. Over the years, he's been in all the standard classes as well as Tactics and Strategy, Advanced Ninjutsu, Advanced Weaponry, and Chakra Flow."

"So that's ninjutsu and weaponry with chakra down; how is he with taijutsu and genjutsu?" Koharu asks.

"He does as well as can be expected. His taijutsu has a heavy reliance on his insects, which is to be expected since he is part of the Aburame Clan and heir. Whilst his genjutsu could use some work, his insects are able to counter it partially, as long as he has placed one on the attacker beforehand. Nonetheless, currently, it is probably one of his major weaknesses," Iruka says.

"Hmmm… Continue with your next student."

"Chōji Akimichi," Iruka begins, opening another folder. "Like Shino-kun, he's partaken in all the standard classes along with Advanced Taijutsu, Advance Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, and Sabotage. His main weakness is genjutsu, but his strength lies in taijutsu, which is to be expected considering he is an Akimichi and the Clan Heir."

"Does he prefer offence or defence?"

"His predisposition is for defence, but this is based purely in classroom setting amongst others he knows. It may be due to his personality; however, I have no doubts he will do what's required of him in the field if necessary," Iruka responds.

Koharu hums and picks up the next folder, leaving Iruka to place Chōji's folder back onto her desk. "Sakura Haruno is the only civilian-born student slated for a team, correct?" Iruka nods. "It says here her additional classes were Foreign Affairs, Advanced Taijutsu, Healing, and Tactics and Strategy."

"She's shown excellent chakra control, probably stemming from her civilian background, which means she had a smaller chakra pool initially enabling better chakra control. She's intelligent, not on a Nara level, but she does well enough. With reason to put effort in, she is quite skilled. There's the widespread expectation that she'll do just as well as any Clan ninja." Koharu raises an eyebrow, causing Iruka to add a hurried, "Of course, that's to be expected nowadays."

"I am aware people cling to their old expectations rather than adapt to the changes of the Academy, but it has been some time. You'd imagine people would have changed already," Koharu says after a moment of silence. "It is going to have a possible medic-nin on any of the teams. I'd imagine she'd do well on a combat team since she has good taijutsu as well."

Iruka tilts his head in acknowledgement. "Her ninjutsu and genjutsu skills are slightly weaker, and she's no Tsunade, but she will do well regardless."

"I'm sure that's due to her numerous teachers as well," Koharu remarks. "Although, your class seems willing to team up together and work."

Iruka laughs and scratches the back of his neck. "I think there are a lot of reasons for that," he replies as he picks up the next folder. "Hinata Hyūga," he reads. "Naturally, she was placed in Advanced Taijutsu, but she also partook in Information Gathering, Advanced Ninjutsu, and Kenjutsu. She's done well to present herself as a future ninja and kunoichi. She's geared towards infiltration, reconnaissance, and that area of expertise."

"Even as a Hyūga?" Koharu asks. "They tend to be noticeable with their appearance."

"A henge will suffice, in some missions, I'm sure, but otherwise simply blending in for a brief time to gather information was what I was thinking of. Moreover, her skills make her a defender more than an attacker, so I'm not entirely sure she would do well on a combat team."

"Hmm," Koharu says as Iruka takes another sip of his tea. "We can figure out the teams after we have gone through the rest of the genin. There are, after all, five more to go. Kiba Inuzuka is next, correct?"

Nodding, Iruka opens the next folder. "All the standard classes along with Sabotage, Advanced Taijutsu, and Advanced Ninjutsu. He was almost slated for an apprenticeship regarding tracking, but one of the other students was picked up instead."

"Yua Nakamura?" Koharu says, hoping that she had the right student. "Her parents were ninjas, I believe."

"Her mother is but her father is a civilian, nonetheless she's under an apprenticeship now. Moving on, the next student who has been slated for a team is Shikamaru Nara; the Nara Clan Heir." Opening the folder, Iruka hands Koharu a single piece of paper. "He took part in all the standard classes and another six on top of that. Like any Nara, he's smart, but he's a potential genius in the making. He could've graduated from the Academy slightly earlier, but instead he simply took on more classes."

"Foreign Affairs, Tactics and Strategy, Healing, Advanced Ninjutsu, Information Gathering, and Encryptions, Coding, and Decoding," Koharu reads. "That is, indeed, quite a number of classes. Not overly surprising, though. After all, his father is the Jōnin Commander currently. What do you think of him?"

"He probably won't make a good combat ninja, as he is more likely to go for incapacitation rather than the kill. That may change with age and experience, but it could also ruin him. We aren't sure," Iruka says.

"We'll simply make sure he isn't part of a combat team to begin with then," Koharu says. "Which leads us to Ino Yamanaka."

"Alike to Shikamaru-kun, she's shown talent in a few areas. She's completed Sealing, Advanced Ninjutsu, Advanced Genjutsu, Information Gathering, and Encryptions, Coding, and Decoding," Iruka says. "She has a good head on her shoulders, smart, and is willing to do what she must."

"That leaves the Uchiha and the Uzumaki then," Koharu murmurs.

Iruka nods. "Sasuke Uchiha has completed Advanced Taijutsu, Advanced Weaponry, Advanced Genjutsu, and Advanced Ninjutsu. He shows strength in taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu rather than specialising in one. He also has a ninken to work with, although the ninken probably needs to undergo more training before they can participate in important missions with Sasuke-kun. He's smart, but not on the same level as Toru."

"And his mental state? Is he fit for being a ninja?"

"Yes, there is no doubting that. I'd imagine Toru Uchiha has a rather important role in ensuring that. I am certain that Sasuke-kun will manage, and turn to help if he needs."

"Naruto Uzumaki," Koharu reads. "Poor chakra control, and so participated in Chakra Control class until it was better. He has also partaken in Sabotage, Advanced Taijtusu, as well as Encryptions, Coding, and Decoding."

"He's got a good head on his shoulders, manages to see patterns that are illogical," Iruka says. "His chakra pool is massive, so I'd imagine he'd be on the combat team."

"So potential team are expertising in combat, information gathering, tracking, reconnaissance, and retrieval, is that I'm thinking," Koharu says. "From what we've gone through, I'm imagining the combat team will be Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. Are there any issues there?"

"Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun are prone to squabbling," Iruka says after hesitating.

"They are ninjas now," Koharu replies. "They will learn otherwise."

"They're genin!" Iruka snaps back in surprise, meeting Koharu's steady gaze.

"They are ninjas," Koharu repeats, and Iruka drops her gaze. "Moreover, it makes sense to have their team as a combat one. The Uchiha will be able to scout, assassinate when necessary as well, whilst the Uzumaki will be able to be a distraction and frontal assault. Meanwhile, Haruno can manipulate others, heal when needed, and also keep the other two under control."

"Very well," Iruka says, jotting down notes on a blank piece of paper. "For a teacher, they're going to need someone who works with ninken, who knows numerous ninjutsus, and is willing to aid Sakura-chan with her taijutsu and can deal with having less chakra than a Clan ninja."

"That severely limits us in terms of teachers," Koharu says, opening her own folder. "However, Kakashi Hatake would be perfect. He can aid Uchiha with his ninken, teach Uzumaki ninjutsus, and find jutsus that Haruno can use, as he has to deal with his eye draining his own chakra."

"He's never passed a genin team before!" Iruka protests. "He's never taught children before, does he even know how to interact with them?"

Koharu sends Iruka a stern gaze, and Iruka frowns but writes the name down. "Once someone would have said the same of you teaching," she reminds Iruka. "That team can also be tagged as a potential retrieval team. Now, the information gathering team is obviously going to be Yamanaka, Nara, and Akimichi, since their skills are suited to the roles. Nara can make plans and put information together quickly, not to mention the Nara Clan techniques will be useful in holding someone still. Yamanaka, when she's older, can seduce people, but also employ clan techniques to extract information. Those two are capable of infiltrating places without a henge. Akimichi can easily attack and defend when necessary, waiting in hiding and acting as an ambush if necessary."

Nodding his head, Iruka continues to write everything down. "Asuma Sarutobi returned recently, did he not?" Iruka asks. "I'd imagine he would teach such a team well."

"Sarutobi has not partaken in any information gathering missions recently," Koharu replies with a frown.

"Perhaps not, but his rather unassuming appearance and ease with which he can blend in means he would have had some training in information gathering. Besides, their clans can teach them that. However, his protection skills and his capture skills would aid the team well," Iruka explains.

"Well put," Koharu praises. "Place him down as teacher then. That leaves Inuzuka, Hyūga, and Aburame in the last team. They'll easily be a tracker team, and perhaps even a reconnaissance team."

"Kiba-kun would work as an attacker, but currently would need someone to hold him back and calculate a plan. Shino-kun can easily fulfil such a position. He can easily calculate plans and ambush others if needed, not to mention his insects would enable him to capture and paralyse others. Hinata-chan with her eyesight would be a good defender, and she has shown capability in being persuasive and influential through emotional manipulation and so would keep both boys in check."

"They should be proficient in genjutsu," Koharu says. "Place Kurenai Yūhi as their team leader then."

Glancing at the time, Iruka starts collecting his folder and putting them in a singular file, along with his newly created notes. "I should be heading off, now, I do believe my class will have finished their last exam. Assuage their worries that they failed, congratulate them, and all that." Standing Iruka smiles at Koharu. "Thank you for the tea."

"Thank you for your input," Koharu returns as she picks up the teacups and plates, "Enjoy yourself." With one last smile, Iruka leaves, closing the door quietly behind him.

Hurrying down hallways, Iruka exchanges brief and quick greetings with his fellow teachers, making it just in time for the door of his classroom to open and his students to come pouring out. Smiling upon seeing them all, he says, "Congratulations! That's your last exam!"

There's laughter and smiling amongst many of the students, but few approach him. The first is, of course, Naruto, with an abnormal expression of frustration on his face. "Iruka-sensei, I failed it! I'm not going to graduate now!" Behind him, Sasuke rolls his dark eyes and turns to talk to Sakura, clearly willing to leave Iruka to deal with Naruo.

Chuckling, Iruka bends down. "All the tests and assessments you've done throughout this year and previous year show whether you're ready to leave the Academy," Iruka reminds his former student. "You have technically already graduated. These exams only check your knowledge and see if there are any major points your new teacher will need to work on. Your teams and apprenticeships and all that is decided before your exam results were finished."

Thinking that Naruto's fears have been soothed, Iruka is shocked when Naruto starts crying. "I don't want a new teacher!"

Iruka nudges Naruto gently, "I can't teach you much more, Naruto-kun. You're ready to be a ninja."

"Iruka-sensei is the best sensei," Naruto says grumpily, but accepts Iruka's words, sniffling and wiping his eyes.

"That's kind of you to say so," Iruka replies, pleased. "Now," he continues, raising his voice and instantly gaining the attention of his former students, "I do believe there are people waiting outside for you lot. Perhaps it's time to go say hello?" Everyone scrambles towards the entrance of the Academy, eager to make it to their families.

Behind them, Sasuke and Naruto walk, watching as the others hurry forward. "Is Toru back?" Naruto asks quietly.

"He should be," Sasuke says with a frown, _(and he is hard pressed to believe otherwise, as even though missions are unpredictable this is Toru)._ "He said he would be."

"That's right! He promised!" Naruto says, a grin on his face. "He wouldn't miss this!" Shoving Naruto, Sasuke hurries forward with a small grin. Naruto yells and chases after, only to skid to a stop beside Sasuke at the entrance of the Ninja Academy.

Toru is there, half-hidden in the shadows, but there are four dogs surrounding him as well. Laughing, Naruto bounds forward, already chatting at someone, whether it's to Toru or the dogs, Sasuke isn't actually he sure, _(the only thing he's sure of is the relief pounding in his chest)_.

At his feet, Sasuke's ninken – Takuma – barks loudly, leaping forward and bowling over his littermate, Takumi, who yelps and quickly fights back dancing around the other dogs, surprising agile for a blind dog. This results in two other dogs bouncing around, running to Sasuke and snapping at each other, and circling around the group of dogs and children and people.

Sasuke lifts his eyes from the dogs to Toru, who greets him with a steady smile, with soft eyes. It eases something in Toru that he wasn't aware even needed relieving. There's a bark, and Sasuke's gaze returns to the dogs. Black-and-white Aki, who's never calmed down – and everyone doubts she ever will – is barking as she plays with the Leopard Cur, who's barking and growling and leaping, and having the time of her life.

Of course, amongst them all, there's Naruto, orange and bright and loud, _(because no matter how much he changes, no matter what changes around him, he remains who he is regardless). _There's laughter tickling its way up Sasuke's throat, but there's also a sigh inching its way out his mouth. Doing his best to withhold his sigh, Sasuke considers the fact he always seems to be surrounded by idiots; and honestly, Toru is no better. Toru, who is standing in the shadows somewhere nearby and almost out of view, with a small smile on his face and dark eyes calm. Reddish-brown hair tied back, and a wolf-like dog at his feet, big and huge and looking completely wild. It suits the older Uchiha, Sasuke thinks, to have something wild at his feet and looking peaceful regardless.

And then Naruto trips over a dog, and even though he's meant to be a ninja now, he falls and Aki yelps, jumping and twisting into Sasuke, who hadn't been prepared, causing him to fall on top of Naruto. Takuma, who's meant to be a loyal ninken to Sasuke, stalks off and away from the pile, Takumi beside him. Meanwhile, Aki and Teisatu are licking the boys' faces, and Toru's laughing softly from his position, because he's not surprised that it all ends like this.

"Perfectly trained ninjas, aren't they?" Iruka calls, his own chuckles dropping away as he comes to stand next to Toru. Sasuke pushes himself up with a huff, glaring at Naruto and dusting himself off.

"A touch too excited perhaps," Toru replies with an amused grin, watching as the pair start arguing. "Sasuke! Naruto! No arguing."

"Sorry, Toru!" Naruto calls back, eyes bright and happy.

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbles shortly afterwards, drifting to Toru's side. He's quickly pulled into a hug by Toru, whether he wishes too or not.

"Congrats," Toru whispers quietly. "You've done well; you've made everyone proud." He steps back, and Sasuke swallows, lifting his head, looking proud and content, even though there is a hint of grief in his eyes, _(you can mourn for years and the grief may never leave, only lessen slightly)._ Stepping around Haruto at his feet, Toru grabs Naruto in a hug as well. "You did it!" He cheers, "Congratulations!"

"I did it!" Naruto echoes back with a grin. "An' I didn't fail according to Iruka-sensei, believe it!"

Laughing, Toru lets go of the younger boy and turns to Iruka, surveying the boys and the dogs with a watchful eye. "Hey, Iruka, we're going out for dinner to celebrate. Want to come?"

"Oh, I couldn't impose," Iruka says, "Enjoy your time together." Except, even as he brushes off the invitation, Naruto is attaching himself to Iruka's hand and pulling him along, not giving Iruka a chance to actually refuse.

"Too late," Toru calls from behind them, "You're joining us for dinner in the Uchiha Clan Compound." He stifles a yawn and follows after them, Sasuke keeping up with him easily.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" The younger boy says reproachfully.

With a wave of his hand, Toru says, "I'm fine. Besides, you're too young to be worrying about me. Tonight is about you two. I'll just get a good night's sleep tonight and perhaps sleep in tomorrow."

"You never sleep in," Sasuke replies as Takuma catches up and keeps pace beside him. "You say that, but you've slept in only a few times when you were completely exhausted."

Rolling his eyes, Toru makes a compromise, "I'll rest tomorrow then. No hard work or training."

"Sure," Sasuke says doubtfully. "Are you here this week?"

"Most of it," Toru replies. "I don't think I'll be called in for a mission anytime this week, but I'm definitely off the rosters for the next three days."

"That because of the back-to-back missions you've been taking recently?" Sasuke asks curiously.

"Yeah, pretty much."

Frowning, Sasuke squints at Toru who scratches the back of his neck. "Were you taking back-to-back missions to ensure you were free today and for the next few days?" Shrugging, Toru doesn't respond, _(and Sasuke knows he's right and despite his worry for Toru, he's grateful)_.

They walk in silence for a bit, before reaching the Uchiha Clan Compound. It's evening now, the sun's rays sprinkling through the clouds and turning them myriad colours. No matter how many times they enter the Compound during the evening, it's always strange to see it compared to how it was during the day. During the day, Shūsanki Square is bright with sunlight and stall owners calling out about their wares. It's often filled with people laughing and talking. Meanwhile, during the evenings, lanterns of different colours are lit to shower the market with light. The stall owners are less shouting and happier to converse. It's less of a market atmosphere and more of a community atmosphere.

The night markets are quiet places, the day markets are loud, but the market that gets caught between the day and the night, in a liminal space, is always a favourite of those who call the Compound home or are regular visitors.

"Are we going to Himura's?" Naruto asks as he pauses just inside the entrance.

"Lead the way, Naruto," Toru replies as he and Sasuke catch up with the other two. As the group of four head towards Himura's diner, Teisatu, Aki, and Haruto all disperse deeper into the compound, whilst Takuma and Takumi stay.

Reaching the diner, they're quickly greeted by the waiter. "Congratulations the pair of you," he says with a smile, bending down to look at Naruto and Sasuke. "Chef's preparing your favourites as a graduation gift. Everything is on the house tonight as well," he adds, looking at Toru who goes to protest. "Nope! No protests or objections. You have to deal with it. Now, there's a table of four out the front that you're all welcome to sit at. I'll bring water and grab your drinks in a moment." With that, the waiter heads into the rest of the restaurant, collecting orders and laughter as he does so.

_(And, in another world, this restaurant would not exist, the waiter would be a man starving on the streets with a gaunt frame and hateful eyes, but here he is living and smiling and laughing.)_

"I suppose we better go take our seats," Iruka says, amused, as he always is whenever Toru is subject to some kindness the chūnin tries to protest even though he is deserving of such kindness.

Toru gives Iruka a light shove, all too aware that the older chūnin is laughing at him, and takes his seat with his back to the wall. Sitting next to him, Iruka picks up his menu and relaxes slightly against the pillowed wall behind him. Before the group can start talking or deciding what they want, residents of the Uchiha Clan Compound come up to their table.

Person after person greet the table before congratulating Sasuke and Naruto. Toru finds himself smiling as he watches Naruto stutter and blush at the praise, Sasuke looking at the table in front of him and mumbling his gratitude.

_(Despite having hardly any family, the two new genin seem to have a rather large one regardless.)_

Once the congratulations have all died out, and the four have ordered their drinks and meals, Iruka asks everyone's plans for the rest of the week. "After all," he reasons, "you have a week of break. I'm sure you've got something planned."

Naruto shrugs and Sasuke responds, "Well, the week is to stock up on weapons and prepare for being genin and all that isn't it?"

"Doesn't necessarily mean you can't do anything else," Iruka points out. "I'm sure Toru would be happy to teach you some tricks that he previously didn't want to."

Toru shakes his head with a laugh. "Throwing me to the missing-nin, I see," he teases. "Still, I'm sure I've got a few tricks to teach these two." Pausing, he looks at Sasuke and Naruto. "Anything specific you guys want to focus on?"

Hesitating and biting his lip, Sasuke puts down his drink after taking a sip. "Would it be possible to learn some of the Uchiha kenjutsu?"

"Of course," Toru replies, _(heart beating behind his ribs because there is a legacy here that he cannot have because he will never have the sharingan)_. "I'll teach it to you, but it requires the sharingan, so I'm not entirely sure how far we'll get with it. However, I can teach you some of the styles I know to supplement the holes that come with the Uchiha kenjutsu for those who currently lack the sharingan."

"I want to do some work on stealth," Naruto says.

"You'll have to change your outfit then," Iruka remarks, with a pointed glance at Naruto's orange clothing. "I know you love orange, but you're also a genin now."

Ever the peacekeeper, Toru adds, "You can give some aspect of orange on your person, but you can't be as stealthy as you could be covered in orange. We can work on stealth, specifically hiding your chakra as well. Did you two have anything planned this week aside from badgering me for more training?"

"We're meeting with the others," Sasuke eventually comments, glancing over at Naruto. "Remember? You wanted to and then you got everyone to wish to meet up as well. We're doing that in two days' time."

"Ahh! That's right! I'm also meeting with Jiji as well!" Naruto says. "We're meeting in three days."

Toru and Iruka exchange a quick glance before breaking eye contact. "Sounds like you've got a good plan going on," Toru says, just as their food is served. "However, let's focus on eating for now which means, Naruto, no talking when your mouth is full." With a small laugh, the group starts their meal.

_(Here, there is a boy laughing with determination engraved in his bones and kindness in his heart. Here, there is a boy smiling with hatred erased from his heart and love rewritten, with kindness that he hadn't developed but rather learnt. Here, there is a man in the shape of a boy, with danger written into his eyes and Uzushio scrawled in his heart. Here, there is a man who hides forgiveness behind a steel core, who speaks of hope and love but knows that kindness can only be afforded by the powerful. Here, there are people living and surviving and enjoying their lives with laughter.)_

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke are the last ones to arrive to the meal, the older boy trailing behind Naruto with a grumpy expression. "You're late," Sakura says pointedly, glancing at the appetisers that have been served to those at the table who hadn't been late.

Throwing himself into one of the empty chairs, Naruto starts placing food onto his plate. "Sorry!"

"It's this idiot's fault," Sasuke adds as he sits in the remaining chair, Takuma lying down by his feet. "He forgot to do some of his chores."

"Chores are the worst," Kiba says causing Naruto to nod with his mouth full. "We ordered for you guys, by the way – your usuals."

"Thanks," Sasuke says as he places food onto his plate. He glances around the small café. It's fairly empty, which isn't abnormal, considering that the café is quite out of the way from the centre of Konoha and any major streets. Despite the hidden nature of the café, it has rather good service and food, resulting in it becoming a frequent lunch location for the group of no-longer-Academy-students to meet.

_(The café had seen them crying and laughing and weathered a range of emotions from each ninja-in-training. It had, in its own way, become a place valued for its comfort and the discretion of its staff.)_

"Now that we're all here," Ino says in the ensuing silence, "I suppose it's time to speak about our futures. From what I've managed to gather, most of our classmates have been snapped up for apprenticeships. Yua Nakamura, I believe, got selected for a trapping apprenticeship. Sayaka Yukimura and Ami Tanaka were taken for intelligence. Chihiro Satō, Ayaka Matsushita, and Jun Tanaka are working at the hospital already. Chou Maeda has gone into Torture and Interrogation – but I'm not certain on that, they're all very hush-hush about selections."

"Tomomi Takenaka has an apprenticeship for one of the research fields," Chōji adds as Ino pauses. "And that just leaves us, right?"

"Well, the others we all know have apprenticeships," Shikamaru waves his hand, dismissing the remaining members of his old class. "That leads all nine of us to be in teams. Naruto, Sasuke, did you guys hear anything from Iruka-sensei?"

Scowling, Sasuke shakes his head. "He told us there would be three teams but nothing else. He wouldn't even mention potential teacher candidates."

"Kakashi Hatake is one," Kiba says, causing the others to shoot him surprised looks. Crossing his arms, Kiba frowns, "I know things too! I mean, yeah, my clan isn't all that involved with the Academy or anything to do with prospective ninjas really. To be honest, it was more like the ninjas I heard discussing it were laughing at whoever Hatake's genin are going to be. He's apparently pretty harsh."

"He's known as the Copy-Nin," Sasuke says. "He's got the sharingan in one eye from the previous war and is known to work with ninken. He's a prodigy who learnt under the Yondaime and has a high warning in the Bingo Book."

"It is likely you will have him as your teacher then. Why? Because he has the sharingan and therefore will be able to teach you when your kekkei genkai manifests itself." Shino says as a waiter comes and collects the appetizer plates.

"Alright, then we can assume Hatake will have Sasuke-kun on his team, which means Kiba-kun will not be on that team," Hinata deduces. "It also means I will not be on that team considering the fact that Sasuke-kun and I both have kekkei genkai that occurs in our eyes."

"There are rumours of Hatake's expertise in tracking," Ino says slowly. "So, if Hatake's teaching a tracking team, then it's likely along with Sasuke-kun, he'll also have Shino-kun, and a third member."

"Probably yourself," Shikamaru points out. "After all, you'd be able to gather information from the being tracked down easily enough. That leaves the rest of us to form two other teams. It's likely that Naruto-kun will form part of a combat team with his insane chakra pool."

"He'd be the attacker more than likely," Sasuke says with a glance at Naruto as everyone's food finally arrives. "And, since he heals extremely fast, there's no need for a medic, but then the other two members would need strong defences."

"I reckon it'd be Hinata-chan and me on that team then," Chōji says after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Hinata-chan as an extremely strong defence and she can scout for enemies and all that. I can defend and attack equally well and prefer to defend. It'd be a good working team."

"Which leaves Shikamaru-kun, Sakura-chan, and myself!" Kiba says, "Plus Akamaru of course! What do you think we'd specialise in?"

"Capture and interrogation," Sakura says, baring her teeth in something that could be called a grin in a warped reflection. "After all, everyone knows medic-nins know how to cause the most pain."

"Also, Sakura-chan could infiltrate 'cause she's not got any distinguishing features aside from her hair and hair can be died," Naruto states as he pushes his empty bowl of ramen away. "Then Shikamaru-kun can hold whoever still and Kiba-kun can attack!" With a grin at his classmates, Naruto adds, "I can't wait to see Iruka-sensei's face when we tell him we already knew the teams we were placed in!"

* * *

**Between deciding teams and having his life invaded by Uchihas, Iruka's life is far from boring. Meanwhile, a Ninja Academy class finally graduates and attempt to figure out what the future holds for them.**

* * *

_**Writing three characters is difficult and it kills me trying to write NINE! Nine characters; what the hell. It's so difficult juggling personalities and conversations and making sure everyone talks and I'm not forgetting characters (eyes Chouji and Shino and Hinata), especially when there are changes to characters that I haven't written in length.**_

_**I don't actually have much to say for this chapter, probably because I can't remember my thoughts when writing it.**_

_**ALSO, in regards to Sasuke and Naruto meeting with Toru and the dogs, that scene is actually a rewritten version of my comment to SilasRed in chapter 12 of Sea Dreams; it was originally:**_

_**Sasuke just stands there without twitching a muscle, his face completely emotionless, and there are two dogs bouncing around him and one sitting at his feet, a magnificent black statue with a grey muzzle. Black-and-white Aki, who's never calmed down - and everyone doubts she ever will - is barking as she plays with the Leopard Cur, who's barking and growling and leaping, and having the time of her life. Right amongst them all, there's Naruto, orange and bright and loud because no matter how much he changes, he's still him. Sasuke just feels surrounded and he's doing his best to withhold his sigh, because really, Sasuke always seems to be surrounded by idiots, and Toru is no better. Toru, who is standing in the shadows somewhere nearby but also out of view, with a small smile on his face and dark eyes calm. Reddish-brown hair tied back, and wolf-like dog at his feet, big and huge and looking completely wild. It really suits them all, (and then Naruto trips over a dog, and he's meant to be a ninja, but he falls and Aki yelps, twisting into Sasuke who's underprepared and falls on top of Naruto, and then Ken is stalking away from them, and the other two dogs are licking the boys' faces, and Toru's laughing softly from his shadowy corner, because of course it all ends like this).**_

_**Anyway, that's all I really have to say for now. Updates are continuing to be once a month until I write a bunch more (I'm going to try and write faster so I can do either monthly updates or bi-monthly updates, but because of new years and christmas, I don't actually have any pre-written chapters now (also because I've been away pretty much all of December and so couldn't write which is a travesty).**_


	2. Misfeasance

**TigrezzTail - Thank you! I thought it'd be interesting to see the kids' thoughts about team placements, and it also meant I got to express the reasons why the teams are as they are in this series, rather than changing from canon. **

* * *

Reshuffling his papers for a third time to mask the fact he wasn't doing any work, _(there is no one around, but it always feels like someone is looking over his shoulder, like he should be doing more, like he should be fulfilling the big dreams his successor once had),_ the Sandaime glances at the clock to check how long until his impending doom. With a snort, he places his pipe down. Melodramatics aren't usually his forte, he'd much rather prefer to leave such dramas to children. Many are now, in his eyes, children, but he supposes that such things come with age, _(he supposes he wasn't meant to live this long)_.

Another check of the clock tells him that it's time for his next meeting, the one he's been dreading, _(because how do you look a boy in the eye and tell him that the people hate him for a reason)_. Honestly, Hiruzen would rather avoid this, but some things are unavoidable, _(like war, like death, like conflict, like bloodshed, like more graves everyday)_; moreover, he owes this boy's father this meeting, whether he wants it to go ahead or not. His secretary enters the room with a knock. "Naruto Uzumaki and Toru Uchiha are here to see you."

"Let them in," he replies as he moves his paperwork out of the way and clears a space on his desk. Standing, hands behind his back, he watches as Naruto and the Uchiha Clan Head enter the room together.

"Jiji!" Naruto cheers, leaping forward. With a smile, Hiruzen lifts the boy and hugs him.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun," he greets. "How have you been?"

"I graduated!" Naruto says, "And I'm gonna be on a team and we're going to be amazing and I'm going to make chūnin in a year and I'm coming for your position – so you better watch out!" Amused at Naruto's rapid chatter, Hiruzen places the boy down and gestures at his guests to take a seat, doing the same himself.

"I better prepare myself," Hiruzen says as he glances at Toru, who seems uncertain about why he is there, _(and he is there because Hiruzen can afford to be kind)_. "However, I have not called you here for idle conversations, no matter how much I wish to hear how your week has been."

"Eh?" Naruto says loudly, "Why am I here then?"

"Patience, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen says as he activates the privacy seals in his office. "Privacy seals," he adds, when the two boys look around in _(what appears to be)_ confusion.

"Oooh, is this matter important, Jiji?"

"It is," Hiruzen says. "What I am about to say is of utmost importance and you cannot tell anyone else."

"Is this going to be like what Sasuke could hear and I couldn't?" Naruto interrupts, twisting to look up at Toru.

Hiruzen frowns, wondering what he had allowed Toru to tell Sasuke, but the Uchiha is already nodding so Hiruzen brushes it off to think about at another time, _(or maybe he won't think about it at all; it does not do to dwell on massacres)_. "You're going to have to promise not to tell anyone," Toru adds. "It's that important."

"I promise I'm not going to tell anyone Jiji! Even if they promise to buy me ramen for the rest of my life!" Naruto says, bouncing on his seat. "Can you tell me now?"

"This is an S-rank secret," Hiruzen says gravely. "The day the Kyūbi attacked Konoha, the day when the Yondaime gave his life to protect Konoha, the Kyūbi did not die."

"What?" Naruto screeches, eyes wide in surprise. "But- We were told the demon died! The Academy teachers were wrong?!"

"The beast did not quite die," Hiruzen says, wishing that he could pick up his pipe but knowing it would not be a smart idea in this situation. "The Tailed Beasts are creatures that cannot be killed. They can only be sealed in humans so their power is contained and can be used for the good of the village." Hiruzen waits, watching Naruto carefully.

Frowning, Naruto says, "So, the Yondaime sealed the Kyūbi in a ninja?" Squinting at Hiruzen, the boy continues, "Why are you telling_ me_ this?"

"The Kyūbi was sealed in a baby that night," Hiruzen says, eyes soft. "That babe was you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto bolts upright, eyes wide with shock. "No," he shouts. However, Hiruzen can see the boy putting everything together. "That's why everyone hates me, isn't it?! That's why they call me a demon! Because I am!" Without providing Hiruzen any time to say otherwise, the boy slams open the door and runs out, tears streaming down his face, _(and what would he say, anyway, in the face of such accusations? He can tell the boy he's wrong, but that doesn't mean he will be believed)_.

Meanwhile, Toru Uchiha stands up, looking remarkably composed despite everything that had happened, but they are ninjas, so who knows what the truth is. "That was harsh," he states, meeting Hiruzen's gaze steadily.

"It was kind," Hiruzen corrects. "You being here was a kindness we could afford. He will understand soon enough. He is strong."

"He is strong," Toru repeats, "but everything that just happened was not kind, having me here was not a kindness. You have done wrong by Naruto."

"_I _have not done wrong by Naruto-kun!" Hiruzen states, standing up. "You would do well to remember your position, _shinobi._ I have done the best I could have in this world of ours. There was no other way."

There's a flicker of something across the boy's face before he nods. "I apologise for my words," he says with a bow. "I spoke before I thought and acted rashly, Sandaime-sama."

"You are young," Hiruzen says. "Such slights of yours can still be forgiven. Go, now, and look after your charge. Tell him that he is welcome to come visit me at any time."

"Of course, Sandaime-sama," the Uchiha says with another bow, before leaving, shutting the door firmly behind him, _(Hiruzen wonders if Naruto will ever return, but perhaps that's just his emotions speaking; they are ninjas, after all_.

* * *

After exiting the Hokage building, Toru takes to the rooftops. Naruto, he knows, could be difficult to find if he doesn't want to be found and acts stealthy, rather than being his usual noticeable self. However, despite the fact that Naruto is a ninja, he is still a boy and – currently – a rather emotional one, _(if he desires comfort, he will not hide, but if he wishes to hide, then Toru will let him hide because choices matter)_.

Nonetheless, Toru is able to track Naruto from the rooftops, following routes where there's grumbling from numerous people about rude children, _(without his now-renowned orange, they think he is just another child, not the boy with the demon sealed in him)_. Toru is aware that Naruto's normal spot to go and think is the Yondaime's head, but he's unsure whether such a thing will remain true currently, after just finding out that the Yondaime sealed the Kyūbi in him.

In the end, Toru finds Naruto in a tree in one of Konoha's training grounds. Not seeing any reason to hide his presence, _(not seeing a reason to hide himself)_, Toru simply climbs the tree and sits next to Naruto as the boy gazes down at a nearby bubbling brook.

"Did you know?" Naruto asks, voice hoarse as he rubs his eyes, _(tries to conceal the fact he had cried)_. "Know that I was a demon?"

"Yes," Toru says, _(simply, plainly, straight-forwardly in a world where deceit is the usual way to speak)._ "I knew you had the Kyūbi sealed in you, but that does not make you a demon, Naruto."

"Doesn't it? Everyone hates me for it; called me demon and devil and variations of such words. I never believed them… but they were right."

"Naruto Uzumaki, do you honestly think I would let a demon into my family and call him family?" Toru asks.

_(Does Naruto think Toru would endanger his family so easily?)_

"I think you would let anyone into your family if you thought you could love them enough," Naruto says. "Besides, what does it matter what I think? You did it regardless."

Withholding a sigh and taking a different path, _(and such things seem common for him),_ Toru says, "If you're a demon, then I must be worse."

Naruto blinks in surprise, _(not understanding that not everyone shares his view of Toru), _and turns to look at Toru. "You're not a demon!"

"Oh? How can you say such a thing; what makes you think that?"

"You're just not! No one calls you a demon!" Naruto counters.

"So, someone has to be called a demon to be one?" Toru asks and Naruto nods. "Then, going by that logic, I must be a soulless monster who is heartless and lacks mercy and has no kindness; evil to the core."

"That's not true! No one calls you that!"

"Some people have," Toru muses, " and that means it's true, right?"

"No! That's not true, because those are lies people are telling you. You know that's not true!"

"Is it possible, then, for the people calling you a demon to be lying as well?" Toru asks. "Because that's much more plausible than the Naruto I know being demon of any kind."

"I am a demon," Naruto says. "The Kyūbi is sealed in me!"

_(One plus one equals two; Naruto's been called a demon his whole life, and so that must be true.)_

"That's where you're wrong," Toru says firmly, _(but kindly, strongly yet gently)_. "The Kyūbi may be sealed in you, but that does not make you the Kyūbi or any kind of demon. Seals are strange, wondrous tools and are capable of many things. However, the seal that was used in you is like a storage seal – it makes you the storage scroll and the Kyūbi the object being stored. The Kyūbi is far from being you, Naruto; the pair of you are separate entities. I am quite sure there are legends of ninjas and Tailed Beasts working together to be better fighters. There are even old legends, extremely old legends coming from the Clan War Era, of the Tailed Beasts being capable of intelligence. It's difficult to know what the Kyūbi is, for all we know, the Kyūbi may have even had a reason to attack Konoha."

"It's a monster, though!"

_(All ninjas are seen as monsters, Toru knows, but that does not mean they all are.)_

"How do you know that? Did you learn these facts for yourself or were you told such things and simply accepted them? How do you know such things aren't lies?"

"I… I don't know," Naruto says quietly. "So, I'm not the demon, right? It's just trapped inside me?"

"Something along those lines," Toru confirms. "Anyone who says otherwise is lying. People are creatures that are easily hurt, and we tend to lash out when we're hurt with anger and hatred to protect ourselves. This doesn't validate such actions or excuse them, but there are reasons. The people of Konoha are wrong to believe that you are a demon."

"Do they… Does everyone know?" Naruto asks, leaning against Toru.

"The adults all know," Toru replies, "but many don't care. It is a minority who care about such things. You know better, we know better; everyone who matters knows better."

"I don't feel like me anymore," Naruto says in the following silence.

"You are exactly the same person you were before," Toru says, "you just know more now. We all have our secrets, what's one more?"

"I suppose…"

"Come," Toru says decisively, jumping off the tree branch. "We can go grab Sasuke and do some training instead. Take your mind off of things and let you get all your anger out by attempting to pummel me instead."

With a weak laugh, Naruto nods and jumps off the tree to stand next to Toru, grabbing a hold of the older boy's hand. "Okay."

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto are walking out of the Uchiha Clan Compound when Jūro Nakano sees them. Clad in his flak jacket and mission clothes, Jūro appears to have just returned from a mission of some kind. Upon spotting the boys, the chūnin grins. "Congratulations on graduating! Sorry it's a bit late, but it's the thought that counts, I suppose. When do you guys get put into teams?"

"Hi Jūro-san," Naruto replies with a smile. "We get put in our teams today, in a few hours. Did you just get back from a mission?"

"Yeah, just some border patrol, pretty standard. They're still easing me into this whole chūnin thing," Jūro replies. "I'll let you two head off now, judging from those grocery bags in your hand I dare say you need to get back to your apartment before heading to the Academy."

"Before you go," Sasuke starts, "can you tell us anything about what happens now?"

Jūro hums in thought, eyes flicking upwards. "I can't really give you too much advice, in all honesty. What tends to happen is that you'll be put into teams and learn under your new teacher. They'll test your skills and then base your team training on that. Once you're all at a level they deem acceptable, you'll start doing basic D-rank missions until you have enough experience and training, then they'll take C-rank missions alongside you."

"What if our teacher doesn't like us?" Naruto asks in a small voice, shoulders hunched, _(the words demon and devil and monster echo in his ears)_.

Jūro offers the pair a smile. "While I doubt such a thing is possible, if you don't become genin, then you simply return to the Academy as teacher assistants and take remedial lessons. If that happens, then you'll have Toru as your main teacher I suppose, and everyone in the compound will lend a hand if you desire. Everyone here lends a hand to teach if necessary." Looking at the sun, Jūro adds, "It's almost nine, what time did you need to be at the Academy?"

"Nine," Sasuke responds, already turning and walking away.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto goes to follow him, "Thanks Jūro-san!"

* * *

Sasuke's figures tap a light pattern against the smooth wood of a classroom desk. Beside him, Naruto bounces slightly in his seat, impatient and more willing to show it than Sasuke, _(because Sasuke knows that giving the façade of calmness often necessary and makes a point to practice and train whenever he can)_. Before Sasuke can tell him to stop moving so much, Sakura elbows Naruto, causing the blonde-haired boy to yelp and stop moving, inching closer to Sasuke and away from Sakura.

There's a clap of hands and Sasuke's eyes move from his desk to where Iruka-sensei stands at the front of the classroom. Their teacher smiles at them. "I know I said this earlier, but congratulations all of you. Your time at the Ninja Academy has passed and will shortly be behind you. You have faced many difficulties and hardships over the course of your years here, some – I know – have faced more than others. Nonetheless, you have all made it to today, and that is something to be proud of. Your time has now passed, but you better not forget all you have learnt over the years. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I hope you do not forget your first teacher here. Now, without further ado, I'm sure you wish to hear about your teams, no?"

Naruto shouts loudly, causing Sasuke to scowl and twist away, even as Kiba does the same with Ino relatively close by. Beside his chair, Takuma whines. Dropping a hand onto the ninken's head, Sasuke scratches Takuma's head; he agrees that Naruto is too loud.

"Remember," Iruka continues once everyone has quietened down, "that you will be on these teams for your genin career until one or more of you are promoted to chūnin or put into an apprenticeship. Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki – your teacher is Kakashi Hatake. Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyūga, and Kiba Inuzuka – your teacher is Kurenai Yūhi. Chōji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Ino Yamanaka – your teacher is Asuma Sarutobi. Your teachers will be along shortly, please remain calm and relatively quiet until then. You are allowed to talk."

Almost immediately, Naruto scrambles out of his seat and towards the middle table where Shikamaru, Chōji, and Shino sit. "We were all wrong," he says once the nine of them have gathered around the table. "Although, we did get some things, I suppose."

"Perhaps there's another factor we didn't take into account," Hinata replies.

"Or maybe," Kiba says, "they didn't want to split Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun, so that only one person got a headache trying to train them."

"That person will be me," Sakura says with a grin.

"We're not bad!" Naruto protests, glancing at Sasuke. "C'mon back me up here!"

"You're that bad," Sasuke replies, "I don't understand why I'm being grouped with you." Takuma barks in agreement. "See? Takuma agrees."

"Takuma _always_ agrees with you," Naruto responds, "So that doesn't count!"

"_Anyway,_" Ino says loudly, stopping the argument before it can arise, "it's pretty clear what team specialisations we all have."

Before she can continue, an unknown man steps into the room. "I'm Asuma Sarutobi," he says. "Who would my team be?"

The group exchanges a glance before Ino gets up, tugging Shikamaru and Chōji along with her. "That'd be us," Chōji says as they line up before him.

"Follow me then," he says, leaving the room with his genin trailing after him.

"I'm Kurenai Yūhi," a woman says, seconds after she enters. "If my team could please follow me?"

After the other three genin have left, Naruto sighs and lies down on a desk. "I'm so bored," he whines. "Why isn't our teacher here already?" Sitting down next to Takuma, Sasuke shrugs.

"Who knows," Sakura muses, glancing at the door. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."

* * *

Half-an-hour into waiting for their teacher to turn up, the small talk drops away. "Do you reckon we'll do the genin test today?" Naruto asks, head hanging upside down as he lies on the table.

"Probably," Sakura replies. "They tend to run the genin test after we've been put into teams. Didn't you say Toru-san had his genin test straight after being put in a team as well?"

Sasuke grunts in agreement and pushes himself upright so he's sitting, leaning against a table leg, rather than lying on the floor beside Takuma. "What do we think will happen?"

"Well, there'll probably be something on teamwork," Sakura starts, "considering we're put into teams for a reason. They've got files on pretty much everything else, I'm sure. That means the main question is how they will test our teamwork."

"If it's well known that teamwork's generally a factor," Naruto says slowly, "then isn't there the expectation for us to know that we're going to be testing for teamwork?"

"Huh, that's a good point. Nice work, Naruto-kun," Sakura replies, tucking a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "That means they'll try and set us against each other."

"They'll probably test our fighting capabilities," Sasuke adds, "since previously we've only been tested in terms of sparring really with opponents we know well."

"Alright, so teamwork and fighting then," Sakura says with a nod. "We can't really plan in advance, but we can figure out a location to meet up if necessary."

"We'll be in one of the training grounds, though," Sasuke points out. "We can't figure out a location."

"All training grounds have some source of water," Naruto says. "We can meet at one of them!"

"But what if we go to the wrong one?"

"I'll send Takuma," Sasuke says in response. "He can find Naruto and myself. He might be able to find you, Sakura-chan. Reckon you can do that Takuma?" The wolf cross sniffs Sakura before barking. "He'll do his best."

"Alright, so try and meet up by a water source, if someone isn't there, Sasuke has to find them with Takuma's help," Sakura states. "If Sasuke's missing, then Takuma leads him to us. We'll figure more details out during the task itself."

Sasuke glances at Takuma. "Do we want to keep Takuma hidden for now? He can track us outside of the Academy and follow behind us if needs be."

"That's a smart idea," Sakura says. "Hatake-san will probably know you have a ninken, but you can just lie and say you left him at home."

"Tell him Takuma got bored and left! After all, Toru says that the best lie is one that's the truth and – technically – it's not a lie. Takuma is bored and we just told him to leave, so he did, actually, leave," Naruto says. Sasuke nods in agreement, says something softly to his ninken, and then the dark wolfdog stands, walking off shortly afterwards.

There's a few moments of silence, during which Naruto groans loudly and flips off the table and Sakura starts sharpening kunais, before Sasuke sighs. "I'm so bored." He, and Naruto and Sakura, startle when someone coughs from the doorway.

The ninja in the doorway looks down at them, appearing rather disinterested. "My first impression of you three is that you are children. I was expecting genin, it appears I should have been expecting otherwise."

Sakura puts everything away, a glower on her face, _(they called her child and baby and civilian-born, but she got here now; she deserves this; she is not a child)_. Meanwhile, Sasuke, _(who Toru calls brat and child but only ever fondly),_ glares at the tall shinobi, because he hates being looked down upon. Naruto, on the other hand, squints his eyes and rubs the back of his head, because they could've been called much worse, _(he has been called demon and devil and hurtful words but he also has people who will shield him from such insults and hatred)._

"I was also told there was meant to be a ninken, but I see that the Academy staff informed me wrongly, which I also should have expected," the shinobi continues, gaze sweeping through the classroom.

"Iruka-sen–" Naruto starts angrily.

"You'd do well to keep yourself in check," the shinobi, _(their teacher),_ interrupts.

"Takuma," Sasuke says coolly, "got bored and left. He probably had the right idea."

"Insolent, little child, aren't you? Come, all of you, we have little time and I have less patience for slackers," the man says, turning his back.

"Aren't you going to introduce yourself?" Sakura says shrilly, clearly angry.

"Introductions are only for those who aren't failures," Kakashi Hatake states, turning around to glance at them. "Hence, it is my belief there will be no introductions in any of our near futures. Follow."

Clicking his tongue, Sasuke groups himself with Sakura and Naruto to trail behind the older shinobi. Sasuke and Sakura keep Naruto between them and stop him from saying anything. The blonde is a seething mess, muttering under his breath with a scowl, _(no one gets away with insulting Naruto's family and friends)_. As they get closer to a training field, he hisses to his teammates, "We are going to beat this guy, believe it!"

"You got it," Sakura agrees, continuing to glare at the man's back, _(she hates him because he insulted her friends, insulted her, spat on her work at being more than a civilian)_.

"He would deserve it," Sasuke adds, _(anger and rage running thick through his blood like a forest fire because no one upsets those who are like family to him)_. "Remember, we meet up first and devise a plan from there."

The three of them remain silent as they reach a large glade in training ground three. Hatake turns to face them, his back to the memorial stone. Reaching into his weapon pouch, he pulls out a single bell. "I have one bell," he says, dangling the silver object from his fingers. "Your objective is to take the bell from me. The person who manages to have the bell, within the next hour, I will take on as an apprentice, whilst the other two will return to the Ninja Academy or – if I decide – drop out of the ninja program entirely. Understood?"

"No," Sasuke immediately says.

"No?" Hatake repeats, titlting his head and staring directly at Sasuke with his one eye.

Gulping, Sasuke shakes his head. "Sakura-chan can have the apprenticeship," Naruto says decisively. "Sasuke an' me can work with Toru instead, because he's backing us up so we can afford returning to the Academy. Sakura-chan doesn't have that – she just has friends."

"Friends who have the potential to be powerful and influential," Sasuke adds, "but aren't yet."

However, Sakura is already shaking her head before Sasuke finishes speaking. "Sorry, Hatake-san! But I can't be taken on by you as an apprentice. Your skill is well-known, but it doesn't quite mesh with what I need. You might be able to teach me quite a bit, but I'd be better off gaining an apprenticeship at the hospital, which I could probably manage with Iruka-sensei's help."

"But Sakura-chan, this is your best chance to be a genin!" Naruto says, "You can't just drop it because Sasuke and I can afford to!"

"It's alright, Naruto-kun. Iruka-sensei told me earlier this year that there may be a position for a medic internship early in the new school term which I could do as part of my remedial training," Sakura replies.

Hatake coughs, interrupting their conversations, and they turn to face him. "Is this your final decision?" He asks, "You can't go back on it after all. You'll return to the Academy and not be made genin until this time next year, unless you completely drop from the Academy altogether."

"This is our decision, Hatake-san," Sakura says. "We're not going to change our minds."

"Oh?" He leans over them, and Naruto's chakra flickers as Sakura shifts her weight backwards and Sasuke's hand inches closer to his weapon pouch. "In that case, you best be leaving! My predictions were correct this time. I'm not getting a genin team at all."

With a scoff, Sasuke turns around and Naruto loops an arm over his shoulders, Sakura doing the same to him. "It's a pity we couldn't be on the same team, Sakura-chan," he says loudly. "We were so prepared as well!"

"It's a pity our training against the others and each other isn't going to be helpful until next year," Sasuke says with a scowl. "Kiba-kun's going to be ahead of us."

"So?" Naruto responds with a wide grin, "It just means they'll think we're weaker when we come out and whoop their asses at the chūnin exams next year!"

Hatake appears in front of them in a flurry of leaves. "I've changed my mind," he announces with could be a smile. "Sandaime-sama will probably have my head if I don't give you a chance. Thus, if any of you manage to take the bell from me, then I will take on your whole team as my genins. Only, though, if you get the bell from me. Your time," he glances at the sun, "started five minutes ago. You don't have long left now!"

Sasuke heads towards the forest, a half-whistle to the wind, leaving Naruto and Sakura to scatter. Sakura heads left whilst Naruto uses chakra to get himself into the trees and tree-hops further into the forest. They leave their teacher in the middle of the open clearing, an amused expression on his face and a bell hanging from his fingers.

With Takuma at his side, Sasuke ghosts through the undergrowth, heading towards the river he knows is nearby. The forest clears a few metres around the river, rocks jerking out of the ground providing evidence of a previous spar of some kind. Watching and waiting, Sasuke scans his environment, searching for any sign of Hatake and his teammates. Sakura finds him first, slipping between the trees to stand next to him. Looking over at her, he tilts his head in question. There's a rustle of leaves and then Naruto is climbing down a nearby tree to stand next to Sasuke and Sakura.

"We need to get that bell," Sasuke says. "He already underestimates us, we just need to use that to our advantage. He also doesn't know about Takuma here."

"Don't underestimate him," Sakura warns. "He's a jōnin for a reason."

"Then it would make sense for him to underestimate us further, right?" Naruto says with a frown. "I could attempt using some of my traps, but I'm not sure how well it'll work."

"I could back you up with ninjutsu and then between us we engage Hatake with taijutsu," Sasuke says. "Sakura-chan, he probably underestimates you the most, especially because your files show a predisposition to healing rather than fighting."

"I'll help out with taijustu as well then, attempting an ambush while he's distracted," Sakura says slowly, "and we aim to cut the string of the bell. Can Takuma grab the bell for us then?"

Takuma huffs and Sasuke nods. "He'll do it and then run."

Sakura nods to herself, "Alright, Naruto go set up traps; he'll be after you pretty quick because your chakra is easy to sense. Sasuke, get ready, I'll follow behind you, just try not to burn the whole forest down."

"That would be Hatake's problem," Sasuke says, "Let's go."

* * *

Kakashi had been initially willing to let the three faux ninjas walk. Except, he knows the Sandaime would have his head for not giving the three a chance and that there's a chance the Uchiha Clan Head would cause problems, and Kakashi didn't really want to fail Naruto, _(he didn't want to cause the boy to be killed either)._ However, giving the group a chance hadn't meant that the trio would succeed. Against all odds, though, they had pulled it off.

"Alright," Kakashi decides, "call the ninken back now." The Uchiha glances at him, anger clear in his face, before whistling sharply. The ninken – probably a wolf crossed with a dog from its looks – bounces through the bushes and drops the whistle at his feet. Kakashi is well aware of what a smug ninken looks like, and this one certainly fit the bill.

"The three of you did alright, working together as you did, relying on your teammates' strengths, and covering each other fairly well. You did, in the end, manage to achieve the bell. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied you are all children – arrogant, unskilled children. Sakura-chan, you assumed that I wouldn't know you were there even though I am a jōnin and you aren't even a genin. Your arrogance will get you and your teammates killed." Beneath his gaze, the pink-haired child shrinks, gaze dropping to the ground, _(better she knows this now then she knows it with either her or her teammates dead). _"Naruto-kun, your traps were obvious and you didn't bother to hide, confident in them. Not only did you wrongly assume that the traps would hold me, you gave away where your teammates were. Sasuke-kun, you thought you could do everything alone and didn't see any of your own faults or flaws. Not to mention, your ninken lacked subtly that you should've taught them."

The group of kids look angry, but not hurt, yet they don't attack or do anything, simply draw together and wait him out. He's been testing them from the beginning, and yes he wanted to fail them, still wants to, but…

"My test, though, is to look for children who are willing to put aside their petty differences and work together. Whether or not you deserve it, you have passed my test. The three of you have some skills, not much, but you have the potential to be powerful – even if you aren't there yet. For that reason, I welcome you to Team Kakashi. I am Kakashi Hatake, a jōnin, and will be your teacher for the foreseeable future."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be Hokage," Minato-sensei's son says, lifting his chin and meeting Kakashi's gaze steadily.

"I'm Sakura Haruno," his female kunoichi says.

"Sasuke Uchiha," the last child states, "and my partner is Takuma."

"We will meet here tomorrow," Kakashi decides, figuring that would give him enough time to read over their files, which he had previously ignored, and decide what he should teach them tomorrow, "at seven." With that said, he disappears in a body flicker, landing in a tree to watch his students leave, whispering amongst themselves. Once they are far enough, he shunshins back to the memorial stone. "Minato-sensei, you should see your son…"

* * *

**Naruto learns of the Kyūbi, meanwhile the nine recently graduated students learn of their teams and teachers. They are all tested, and against the odds, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura pass. **

* * *

_**The Sandaime kinda made a mistake with Naruto, not to mention all the issues that would've come with being hated his whole life. That definitely would've gotten him down at times. Also, I am having problems inserting sections with brackets, because there's a lot of talking in these first few chapters of this book so far. I've actually ended up doing a reread of each chapter to add parts in. Although, that might just be me getting back into the pattern of writing this. Anyway, there was definitely some power play going on between the Sandaime and Toru because Toru's like you stuffed it and Hiruzen is like I am the Hokage who are you to speak to me like that and Toru can't go and say he's the Yondaime Uzukage the Second (or the First? I don't know how would you even go about being like I'm reincarnated). **_

_**Naruto sees Toru as such a huge figure and partially the Best Person Ever. He totally believes that Toru would adopt a demon if he thought it needed it and like, he's not too wrong. Toru would take in anyone who needed it as long as they wouldn't harm him or what he deems his. Also, Toru does not know much about the Tailed Beasts, but there are stories of their intelligence and they managed to avoid capture for some time so they have to be intelligent. At least, that's what Toru thinks. But also, Toru could just think they're intelligent the same way he thinks dogs are intelligent. Also, Toru being like the Kyuubi may have had a reason to attack is not anything based on his actual knowledge, but creatures with intelligence don't attack out of nowhere (most of the time).**_

_**Trying to figure out Iruka's speech was Hard, so I stole and warped parts of the speech I had to do at my graduation for valedictory. I stole like three lines, but I mean, it works. **_

_**Yes, Kakashi is presented as an asshole in this chapter. To be fair, though, he doesn't want to deal with children or low ranked missions. Also, he's already targeting their weak points and testing them. He's already positioning them so they are willing to attack him, and attack him out of anger and therefore badly attack him. **_

_**Sasuke and Naruto are willing to wait because they can learn in other ways, but Sakura is a civilian born. She's unlikely to get the same amount of help that the other two can get. **_

_**Anyway, that's all I really have to say currently, so that's me off for now.**_


	3. Coterie

_**TigrezzTail - Kakashi as a teacher? I offer no words here, and you will have to decide for yourself based on the future events of this book. And yes, I really wanted to explore Naruto's reaction to the Kyuubi and also the Sandaime's own thoughts with it all, because I don't think there was ever a good way to tell Naruto. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

* * *

"I'm Asuma Sarutobi," their teacher introduces. "To ensure that you are capable of being genins, there is one last test you must pass." The trio of genins nod; they had known that there was another test to pass, _(everything's a test in some way or another)._ "To pass my test, you simply have to find me. You can ask me three questions now and I will even answer them now."

"Where will you be?" Ino immediately asks, _(blunt question, make them underestimate you, a person's more likely to talk if they think you're dumb – basic interrogation tactics)_.

"In Konoha," Asuma remarks a wry grin on his face. In response, Ino scowls, _(it failed, but that's alright, there's no danger in this time),_ and goes to speak when Chōji elbows her in the side.

"Is there a time limit?" Shikamaru asks, _(eyes sharp, tongue sharp, wit sharper; sharp edges of a kunai blade, smooth metal that glints in the darkness waiting to strike; a snake with fangs bared but not quite ready to bite; a threat but an empty one)_. "And are there any restrictions?"

"You have to find me before sundown," Asuma responds, "and there are no restrictions on your side, aside from the time restriction of course." Before the three can say anything else, _(try and gain more knowledge because information can let you win in some fights, when power fails you)_, he disappears with a flare of chakra, leaving behind leaves.

"It's good that we have no restrictions," Shikamaru says, turning to face his team, small smile on his face. "We weren't told that we couldn't get help."

"We can ask Sasuke-kun or Kiba-kun," Chōji says, "their ninken would be able to track Asuma-sensei, right?"

_(They have worked together for months, for years, earned trust and friendship; they are friends and teammates and everything in between. They trust each other and that means that they don't have to tell all their secrets to each other. Once upon a time, they were alone with the connections their clans grant them and nothing else. Now, they aren't alone and have connections that they themselves created.)_

Ino shakes her head. "We've got nothing with Asuma's scent, and they're doing their own tests anyway."

Frowning, Chōji says, "If he's a Sarutobi, then people should know something about him, right? Especially the ninja proportion of Konoha."

"Good thinking, Chōji!" Ino says, eyes lighting up in delight. "We can gather information as he gave us his whole name. Shikamaru, do you know anything about him? After all, your father's Jōnin Commander."

"Unfortunately, no," Shikamaru replies, "probably on purpose. However, if we head towards the Jōnin Standby Station, we're likely going to come across someone we can ask." After Ino and Chōji voice their agreement, the three quickly enter one of Konoha's main roads. They're walking quickly along the shops when Ino catches sight of her clan's flower shop. Between both of the boys, she's easily able to tug them into the shop and out of the crowds.

Ignoring the confused looks she receives from both of them, _(but they do nothing because they trust her)_, she heads up to the desk a few metres away from the entrance. "Morning, Miya-san," Ino greets. "How are you doing?"

"Good morning, Ino-chan," Miya Yamanaka replies. "I am well; yourself?"

"I'm feeling good today," Ino says. "Don't suppose you know an Asuma Sarutobi, do you? We were told he was a jōnin but he seems important. Is he?"

"He's the son of the Sandaime," Miya responds, raising an eyebrow in question but not outright questioning them, _(to Miya, they are children, genins, young and skilful but not quite mature yet, they have time to grow, to learn)_. "But he's known for his stint in the Twelve Guardian Ninja, protecting our daimyō. He left about seven years to join them, and during his time, incurred a thirty-five million ryō bounty."

"It must have been difficult to maintain relations whilst out of Konoha," Shikamaru muses, eyes glancing at the collection of purple flowers, _(he knows what they mean, because he has been taught by teachers and by Ino, there is a reason he looks; small gestures in a bigger conversation, a way to guide the conversation with no one really noticing),_ in a vase on the counter.

"Lovely, aren't they?" Miya says. "Amaranths, purple lilacs, bellflowers, and mallows. Anyway, to answer your question, I can't speak about any of his friendships, but he's been at odds with his father, Hokage-sama, apparently for a while, and there are rumours he maintained his dalliance with Kurenai Yūhi; she's also a jōnin, but I don't know much about her aside from the fact she primarily uses genjutsu."

Ino looks at the clock above Miya's head. "Thanks for your help, Miya-san, but we need to go now! We said we'd meet up with the others."

"Have a nice day," Miya calls as the trio leave the store.

"You too," Chōji calls back, polite as ever, _(you make sure you don't ostracize people, you never know when you may need allies – and, in this life, you always need allies)_. However, the moment they leave the store, Ino runs into someone, causing Shikamaru to stop and Chōji to run into his back. "Sorry!" He says as Shikamaru grunts.

"All good," Shikamaru replies. "Hinata-chan, is that you?"

The two girls get up, brushing dust from their hands. "Hi Shikamaru-kun, Ino-chan, Chōji-kun. Where's your teacher?"

Chōji shrugs, moving out from behind Shikamaru so he can see the other three genins. "We have to find him."

"So do we," Kiba says. "Not your teacher though, our teacher – Kurenai Yūhi. She's apparently testing our skills. Hence, we have to find her. We were told she was going on a date for lunch, but that's it."

"She's dating Asuma Sarutobi, our teacher," Ino reveals, _(information shared because these are friends and allies and one day teammates)_. "That means we can work together to find them both!"

"But we still don't know where they are," Chōji points out, causing Ino to frown.

"If they are testing our skills as ninjas, it would make sense that the pair are at Kasukana. Why? Because needing to find a hidden, ninja-only restaurant would be a good test of our skills," Shino states.

"How do we find it?" Kiba asks. "We can't track them by their scents."

Shino tilts his head and holds out his hand, which an insect lands on. "I can lead us to where the entrance may be. From there, it will be a test of our skills as a group."

"Lead on, Shino-kun," Hinata says. "We'll work with what we've got, find our teachers, and pass these tests."

* * *

Placing the menu down, Kurenai sweeps the room with her eyes, _(looking for children who are students who are still not there)_. "I do believe we are almost out of time. I don't know how much longer we can stretch this lunch," she remarks.

"I told my team they would have until sundown," Asuma replies. "I didn't consider that our lunch would end at some point."

"How do you think your team is doing?" Kurenai asks. "I'm hoping mine have figured it out by now. Shino-kun's insect left a while ago."

"I'm not too sure. If they've found your team, they will have had an easier time of it, but if they haven't gotten that information then–" Asuma cuts himself off as a small puppy lands on their table, _(weaponry gleams within sight for a moment, a tense air takes hold of the room, and then it disappears as reflexes are controlled as ninjas realise there are no enemies coming for them)_. The puppy barks, wagging its tail and glances up at the ceiling. Both jōnins look up at the ceiling at the same time, and see an undone vent, with a genin looking down at them. Asuma raises an eyebrow at Chōji and the boy flushes, but jumps down, not landing on the table like the ninken. His teammates quickly land next to him, Kurenai's team following them.

Running his eyes over his team, Asuma notes that they seem fairly tired and a bit bruised, _(but they are here as genins not children, so he will not coddle them)_. Similarly, Kurenai's team also appears the same way, although the Inuzuka genin has soot on the front of his clothing.

"Welcome to Kasukana," Kurenai says, amusement lilting her tone. "Join us for lunch, won't you? We can discuss what you did well and what you need to improve on."

Ino immediately sits herself down next to Asuma, with Chōji and Shikamaru sitting further down, across from them, Kurenai's team sits as well. "What we did badly was coming in through the vents," she immediately says. "We definitely didn't think that through. Landing amongst ninjas from the roof? We're lucky poor Akamaru wasn't skewered!"

The ninken barks and jumps onto Kiba's head. "I didn't think of that," the genin in question says. "We know for the future now, though, don't we boy?" Akamaru barks in agreement.

_(Even as genins, they are all too aware you cannot make the same mistake twice – if you do so, there is a high chance you will not live to see the next sunrise. Ninjas cannot make the same mistake twice because their lives depend on them not making mistakes.)_

"Indeed," Asuma says. "You did well in, not only sharing information, but working together to get here as well. Do you have any questions for either Kurenai or myself?"

"Why didn't you include the other team?" Kiba asks. "I mean, their skillsets might not seem to fit with the skills you tested, but they'd easily keep up with the rest of us."

"Hatake-san had his own plans," Kurenai says smoothly, without exchanging a glance with Asuma. Akamaru barks, resulting in the other genins looking at Kiba who taps the table twice.

"Do we get food, Asuma-sensei?" Chōji asks, drawing the attention away from Kiba and his behaviour. It's a simple tactic and works well; the teachers don't question Kiba's behaviour whilst the official genins are all too aware of the lie their teachers told, _(they won't question it just yet, they trust their teachers, trust their superiors, trust Konoha's jōnins; after all, they have no reason not to)_.

* * *

"Our sensei is a _dick_," Sasuke says the moment he sits down at the table, features tight with anger that is rarely incited. Kiba chokes on his drink – because Sasuke never swears – causing Chōji to pound his back.

Sakura plops down next to Ino on the seat that has the wall as its back. Leaning against Ino, _(wordless comfort always offered),_ she adds, "Sasuke-kun isn't wrong. He hated us from the beginning and attempted to have us work against one another in our test, which failed, _obviously._ He almost let us fail without actually testing us."

"I'm never going to say a bad word about Asuma-sensei," Chōji decides. "Our teacher has to be a saint compared to yours; he _paid_ for lunch!" There's a low murmur of agreement from six of the eight genins. "Where's Naruto-kun?"

Crossing his arms, Sasuke scowls, anger and frustration exposed further. "We met up with Toru briefly, and Naruto went with him, because he wasn't feeling well or something. Bet you Hatake did something that upset him like the other day."

Ino leans forward, dislodging Sakura who grunts and pushes herself upright. "I think this gives us enough reason to get back at Hatake, don't you think? He upset Sasuke-kun enough that he swore, Naruto-kun's gone to Toru because he's feeling that terrible, and Sakura actually sounds willing to commit a crime against another Konoha ninja."

"He'd deserve it," Sakura says grumpily in the following silence. The conversation quickly dissolves into revenge plots and prank ideas. There's no mention of Naruto's absence or how he's upset, no mention of Toru taking care of the boy. They're all aware there's no reason to comment on Sasuke and Naruto's relation with Toru and the whole family scenario with the Uchiha Clan – it's a sore point for everyone. More to the point, they are all protective of each other because they are friends and future teammates and allies.

In the end, it is Shino who calls an end to their dinner. With an apologetic smile, he states, "I have to go home now. Why? Because I told my parents I would be home soon."

"Oh, shoot!" Kiba says, startling upright and causing Akamaru to fall off of his head. "I said I'd be home half-an-hour ago! I'm actually going to die."

"Better get moving then," Hinata says with a fond grin. "We can cover your bill if you need."

However, Kiba's already shaking his head. "I'll pay and then go," he says firmly. "Besides, it's Shikamaru-kun, Ino-chan, and my turn to pay. If you guys need to head off go, we'll take care of the bill. We'll organise another meetup soon! We can even do spars and all that when we have the time." Everyone gets up, saying goodbye and thanking those who have to pay. Soon enough, the nine genins separate, going their distinct different ways.

_(They are teammates and classmates and so much more; they're friends.)_

* * *

Entering the apartment, Sasuke isn't surprised to see Naruto huddled up to Toru as the other reads a book quietly. He's mildly surprised to see Iruka-sensei on the other couch, a book in his hands as well, _(only mildly surprised because Iruka-sensei tends to come only on Friday and Saturday evenings, but not too surprised because Iruka-sensei does tend to be around a lot)_. Beside Naruto is Takumi, who doesn't move even as Sasuke arrives with Takuma.

"Welcome back," Toru says, looking up, smiling at Sasuke. "Did you have a good meal?"

Nodding, Sasuke points at Naruto, who hasn't looked up yet. Raising one hand, Toru makes a gesture indicating that the blonde-haired boy was caught between feeling fine and feeling bad. "The others are planning revenge on Hatake," Sasuke says, causing Naruto to look up, revealing red eyes.

"Hatake?" Iruka-sensei squawks, dropping his book.

"Not you?" Toru says at the same time, before turning his gaze to Iruka-sensei. Sasuke follows the movement, giving Iruka-sensei an unimpressed expression.

Flushing, Iruka-sensei rubs his nose. "Ahh, Hatake-san hasn't been known to pass a team. He's also well-known for not really being any kind of teacher."

"If you say so," Toru says in incredulity but doesn't say anything else, and Iruka-sensei ducks his head. There's something there in the interaction, but it goes over Sasuke's head. Going to sit down next to Naruto, Sasuke's expression crinkles upon seeing the bowl there, a small pool of red bean soup at the bottom still.

"That's disgusting," Sasuke says.

"There's senbei for you in the kitchen," Toru says, amused. "You don't need to have any sweet stuff. You can thank Iruka for that."

Grimacing, Sasuke mumbles, "Thanks," at Iruka-sensei before picking up the bowl and heading towards the kitchen. Returning with the snack in hand, he decides to take a seat next to Iruka-sensei, Takuma jumping up beside him and curling up.

"Hey, Toru?" Naruto says quietly, nudging the older Uchiha who hums in response. "Can you tell me something about the Uzumaki?"

"The Uzumaki Clan?" Toru asks, placing his book down and shifting position slightly. Naruto nods quickly. "What do you want to know?" Naruto shrugs, and Toru frowns in thought. "I don't know too much," he begins, "but, well, I can tell you what I can."

Whilst Toru pauses and Naruto reorganises himself, Iruka-sensei puts his book down and Sasuke makes himself comfortable, which includes shifting so he can lay down on the couch, feet resting on Takuma's back and head on Iruka-sensei's lap.

"One of the main things most people know is that the Uzumaki Clan had close relations with the Senju Clan throughout the Warring Clans Era, and even after the founding of Konoha. Often they kept such relations through marriage, the alliance between the clans enabled them to offer each other a diverse range set of skills. For instance, much of the Senju Clan's fūinjutsu was due to the Uzumaki Clan sharing their fūinjutsu.

"They were a matriarchal clan as well, with their Clan Head usually being a woman," Toru continues. "But Clan Heads could be challenged by others, and then forced to step down or step aside. I'm not positive," he says with a frown, "but I do believe that one or two Clan Heads were assassinated. Although, such a thing was rare when the Uzumaki Clan was still small."

"Was the Clan Head mantle inherited?" Iruka asks curiously, catching Toru's gaze. "I'm intrigued, now. There's so little known about clans outside of Konoha aside from their fighting capabilities and all that. You know I never pass an opportunity to learn."

Smiling, Toru says, "Generally, the inheritance of the Clan Head mantle followed one family. However, if the Clan Head stepped down or had no children, they would call for a vote for a different Clan Head who'd been nominated. Actually, it ended up becoming part of Uzushio's traditions. People would be nominated, the population would vote, and the person with the most amount of votes would become Uzukage. They tried to keep the Uzukage candidates from knowing if they were nominated and who actually won. Sometimes it worked, but most times it didn't."

"Were they strong?" Naruto asks.

"As a whole, I would say so. Due to managing to grow so big in conjunction with their tendency to avoid battle – which resulted in the clan being on good terms with numerous other clans and having alliances through marriage, introducing new genetics and bloodlines into the clan – they had a variety of abilities," Toru explains.

"They were known for their long lives," Iruka adds. "I always assumed it was a kekkei genkai of some kind."

"They had a kekkei genkai?" Naruto echoes, "Did they? Do I have it?"

"They had a kekkei genkai, yes, but it's not what you think, Iruka," Toru replies. "Since the Uzumaki Clan were wanderers years ago, they had an impressive resistance to illnesses, which led to the concept being created that they had a long and-or strong life force. This concept was further strengthened by the Uzumaki Clan's ability in fūinjutsu and revolutionising the field, evident in their medical seals. It led to an increase in the life expectancy… I think. They actually had a few kekkei genkais due to the wide variety of genetics. Not all Uzumakis had a kekkei genkai, but some had adamantine chains or could heal others or themselves through the consumption of chakra. Moreover, while it wasn't a kekkei genkai of any kind, some Uzumakis had an extraordinary sensory range."

"Heal through consuming chakra?" Sasuke repeats.

Toru nods. "I don't know how it worked – it had something to do with blood being consumed, maybe?"

"Red blood cells have chakra bonded to them as well as oxygen," Iruka says slowly. "If there's a need for blood cells and a person consumes the blood cells from a person with a kekkei genkai… perhaps that chakra is adsorbed in the form of healing chakra?"

Toru shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine." He nudges Naruto, "Come on, you need to get to bed. You mentioned you have training early tomorrow."

"That's if Hatake even shows," Sasuke grumbles and Toru shoots him a look. "I'm not sorry," Sasuke mumbles but heads towards his room. Iruka rolls his eyes as Naruto follows after the other boy, yawning as he goes.

Finding himself yawning, Iruka covers his mouth with one hand. "Guess I should be heading off soon as well."

"Hatake?" Toru questions, tone light but the younger boy seemed willing to push if Iruka didn't respond.

Hesitating, Iruka settles with saying, "He was in ANBU for some time." The silence stretches between them. "They thought Itachi was a lot like him."

"Are Naruto and Sasuke safe with him?"

Iruka tilts his head. "I believe so. I just… don't know how well he'll manage teaching them. In spite of everything, they are still children."

"They could surprise us all," Toru says. "Besides, all teachers have their first students, and they themselves were students at some point. Anyway, are you staying for the night?"

"I shouldn't impo–"

"Iruka."

Sighing, Iruka collapses against the back of the couch, head flopping backwards so he's looking at the ceiling. "Fine," he groans. "I swear I'm pretty much living here now."

"Mmmhmm."

"I could move in and no one would actually think anything had changed. No one here would even notice the difference."

"If you say so."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah."

"Toru? Toru – you're reading! Do you know anything I've said in the past few minutes?"

"Nothing important, I'm sure."

"Toru!"

_(Friends and laughter, trust and safety, family is what you make of it, family is what you decide, sometimes family is two boys, five dogs, a reincarnated Uzukage, and a teacher.)_

* * *

It's late afternoon when Toru sees Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura in the distance. Making no attempt to hide, he isn't surprised when Sasuke sees him and the trio walk over to him. The genins look particularly tired, hunched shoulders with scratches adorning their arms. "What have you been up to?" Toru asks.

"D-rank missions are the worst, believe it!" Naruto says. "Why were we even given the mission to capture a cat? Takuma is a dog!" Takuma growls by Sasuke's feet. "I mean ninken, not dog!"

"D-rank missions are important," Toru says before smiling, "but they are annoying, I can't refute. They do teach valuable skills and lessons, regardless. Everyone's done their fair share of D-rank missions, some more than others."

"Why do they teach? All I've learnt is that I want to avoid D-rank missions for the foreseeable future," Sakura states. "I hate them! I haven't learnt anything! Hatake-sensei is useless!"

"Don't go disparaging your teacher like that," Toru says in a stern voice. "I'm sure Kakashi Hatake knows what he's doing. Besides, I'm almost certain that D-rank missions have taught you something. Has not your teamwork gotten better? Many D-rank missions enable you to work on skills such as trapping and tracking for future missions. They form a basis for future missions."

"How is painting a fence going to help with anything?" Sasuke says.

"Depends what you were painting," Toru replies. "If it's got detail and design of some kind it can come in handy when creating maps and so forth. Moreover, most times you have to paint, you have to speak to the owner, correct? Communication is vital, not just within your team, but also with your client. It may even be necessary for you to negotiate something or just remain on the good side of your client."

"But they're so boring!" Naruto whines.

Sighing, Toru says, "Then talk to your teacher about getting a C-rank."

"Can't you train us?" Sasuke asks. "At least for an hour this evening?" There's a pause and both Naruto and Sasuke's expressions turn helpful.

Heaving yet another sigh, Toru decides. "Okay, but I'm going to train with you, not train you. Understand?" The genins nod and Toru rolls his eyes. "Alright, come along. We're not going to go hard, though. You've got training and missions tomorrow, and I have my own mission as well." Catching sight of Sasuke's frown, Toru hastens to add. "It's not for long, but there might be a few back-to-back missions this week."

"Let's go!" Naruto says, and Sakura grins, grabbing his hand and forcing the boy to skip with her. Following behind them, Sasuke rolls his eyes and stalks after them, Takuma at his side. However, despite his seemingly aggressive actions, he clearly doesn't mind his teammates, a relaxed tilt to his shoulders and a calm expression on his face. It's easy for Toru to fall into step behind them, _(he's never had a genin team or taught anyone really or had siblings; he's had a clan, in both lives, but family – treasured – has never been more than his parents really)._

When they reach a nearby empty training ground, the genins all turn to Toru. "I'm sure you've got basic signals and all that figured out," Toru begins, "but what attack plans do you have? There are three main ways you can be attacked. You can either be ambushed, you will attacked when you are prepared for a fight, or you will be attacked clearly when you are not prepared for the attack."

Sakura smiles. "We've got plans for all three," she confirms. "In the case of an ambush, Naruto goes for the attack and so does Sasuke if needed but tries to undertake a sneak attack, whilst I protect the objective."

"If there's an attack that we're prepared for, Sasuke and I attack whilst Sakura protects the objective, sneaking in attacks when she can, and healing anyone if necessary," Naruto explains. "Most of our plans follow that kind of layout, right?" With a grunt, Sasuke nods.

"What would the three of you do if the enemy is stronger than you, which is likely?"

"Well, even with the increase in the size of our ninja force," Sakura explains, "there's still the general idea that Konoha produces 'nice' ninjas due to our tendency to have genin teams. Based on that, it can some people may assume that the increase is due to an easier graduation rather than an increase in skill. So, I mean, we could try and get underestimated further by acting really badly?"

"That's a smart idea, but be careful not to overdo it," Toru says. "However, Sasuke can't act too incompetent due to his clan heritage, and some may know that outside of Konoha. Nonetheless, both you and Naruto are unknowns and so people will be likely to underestimate you, you just have to help that along. Act loud, whine, grumble, do all sorts of things."

"It'll be just like class!" Naruto says, "Watch this! You ready? Watch me!"

Naruto's posture shifts, becoming something looser and more energetic, he bounces on his feet and fidgets with his fingers. Placing a wide smile on his face he skips up to Sakura, "Hey, hey, hey! Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Guess what I saw – guess! Guess!"

"What did you see?" Sakura asks, an amused smile on her face.

"I saw a frog!" Naruto crows loudly. "You never see frogs in Konoha! They're so hidey!"

"Hidden," Sakura corrects absent mindfully, only to realise when Naruto beams at her.

"Masterfully done," Toru admits, and Naruto grins. "Smart to use qualities you already have. "Sakura-chan, you played along towards the end, but remember you might not be amused by Naruto's whining but rather annoyed and frustrated because it would be annoying over a long period of time."

Sakura nods in thought. "I understand, Toru-san."

Takuma barks, pouncing on Toru's foot. Nudging the ninken off, Toru laughs. "Alright, alright, we can move on to actual training now. You three have to protect Takuma as your objective and make it to the pond. I'll be your enemy. Ready? Go!"

* * *

Crouching gracefully on a branch, a brown cat flicks her tail and studies the small bird on the edge of the branch. It hasn't noticed her yet, and she takes a careful step closer, light on her paws and gradually decreasing the distance between herself and her prey. She takes another slow step, and then another, and finally readies herself to pounce. Mouth partially open, she leaps forward, claws outstretched. The bird cries out, wings fluttering as it tries desperately to take off and escape in time.

Just before the cat can catch the bird, something wraps around her body. She yowls loudly, displeased, and lashes out with her claws. However, she's quickly and efficiently bundled into a towel, unable to escape from the arms holding her and incapable of thrashing anymore. Looking around, the cat's ears pin backwards as she smells dogs nearby. Hissing, she bares her teeth at the three humans now approaching.

"Good job, Sakura-chan," Kakashi says. "You get to take her back. I'll see the three of you there for another mission!"

Sighing, Sakura tightens her grip on the cat. "What's the likelihood Hatake-sensei has another D-rank mission lined up for us?"

"Likely," Sasuke responds, before turning to glance at Naruto as the three continue to walk out of the park. "Could you ask Hokage-sama to give us a C-rank mission?"

Visibly hesitating, Naruto slowly nods, before furiously nodding. "Yeah! I can try to get us one. He owes me."

"Owes you?" Sakura echoes, confused.

Rubbing the back of his head, Naruto awkwardly laughs. "Eh, I was planning to prank him but I didn't! He should be thankful for that, you know!" Sakura exchanges a glance with Sasuke, aware that Naruto was lying, but the pair of them decide to leave it. If Naruto wants to tell them, he will, otherwise it clearly doesn't matter that much.

Finally reaching the outskirts of the park, the three channel chakra to their legs and leap up onto the rooftops, pausing briefly to give Takuma time to follow after them. The wolfdog quickly appears and the group heads towards the Hokage's building. "Takuma is getting faster," Sakura says as they leap over one gap, half-struggling with keeping herself upright as she continues to hold the cat to her chest. She stumbles, but both Sasuke and Naruto keep her upright until she regains her balance.

"He has improved," Sasuke says proudly. "We've done quite a bit of work on it." He scowls. "After all, Hatake hasn't done anything for us."

"Toru says he's still figuring out how to be a teacher," Naruto says cautiously as they enter the correct building. "Iruka-sensei said he wasn't the best teacher first either – I don't agree though; Iruka-sensei is the best," he proclaims loudly as they enter the mission room. His face goes red upon seeing Iruka in the room. Behind a mission desk, their old teacher simply offers them a smile and continues to focus on the ninja in front of him.

Snickering, Sasuke follows Sakura as she leads them into a side room where the cat's owner waits them. Kakashi is already there, leaning against the wall and flipping through a book of some kind. Sasuke really doesn't care. "Here's your cat," Sakura says, handing the cat wrapped in a towel over to the woman.

"Thank you!" The woman says loudly as she hugs the cat to her chest. "Tora must have been so scared! Oh yes, yes you were! You're not going to run anymore, are you? Oh, no, no, no."

Sasuke pulls on Sakura's top and, along with Naruto, they quickly leave the room behind. Their jōnin teacher appears in front of them, still reading and meanders towards the mission room slowly. "Hatake-sensei, could we get a C-rank mission?" Sakura asks politely, sweetly, and Naruto coughs to hide the smile climbing his face. Both Sasuke and Naruto are aware that Sakura's thoughts regarding Kakashi are not polite in the slightest. The only response the group get is a hum, and Sakura shrugs. Naruto nods and Sasuke smirks. They're going to get their C-rank mission one way or another.

Thankfully, they've clearly chosen the right time to attempt to gain a mission, for the Hokage had just entered the main mission room. Without needing to be nudged forwards, Naruto bounces towards the Hokage, a smile on his face, _(and confusion still resting in his heart; he's still torn between anger and love, but despite everything, the Hokage had been the first person to be kind to him and – in the end – that would always win out)_.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," the leader of Konoha greets, looking down at the boy. "Has your team come for a mission?"

"We have!" Naruto replies. "But we don't wanna do another D-rank. They're boring! We've been doing D-ranks for days! We wanna do a C-rank!"

"Oh?" The Hokage questions, glancing at Naruto's teammates. "Do your teammates agree?"

Hands twisting behind her back, Sakura nods, not meeting the Hokage's eyes. "I think it'd be a good test, Hokage-sama," she says. Beside her, Sasuke nods in a single motion, and says nothing.

"I suppose, then," the Hokage responds, "that it is up to your teacher."

The three genins twist to look at Kakashi. Their seemingly permanently bored and lazy teacher hums. "I suppose that we could do such a thing. After all, we've completed the required D-ranks."

With a squinty-eyed look at Kakashi, Naruto turns back around, "See?" He says to the Hokage. "We can do it!"

Softly smiling, the Hokage nods. "A new C-rank mission came in recently and looks like the perfect C-rank mission for a new team," he says. A short word to a nearby chūnin, and he's quickly given a scroll that he hands to Kakashi. "Your mission will be to protect Tazuna-san from Konoha to the Land of Waves and the time taken for Tazuna-san's bridge to be completely built."

"Understood, Hokage-sama," Kakashi says, scanning through the scroll. Turning to the three genins crowding nearby, he says, "Meet at the main gate at eight tomorrow. We leave then for the Land of Waves."

"Good fortune on your mission," the Hokage says, "and stay safe." Kakashi meets the Hokage's gaze. A conversation is exchanged in the span of several heartbeats, before Kakashi nods, acknowledging the warning that the Hokage has given him and planning to be cautious. However, knowing that something seems off does not equate to knowing what is off. With a wave of his hand, the Hokage dismisses everyone and heads towards his office.

Glancing at his genins, Kakashi raises an eyebrow. "What are you three waiting on? Don't you have bags to pack?"

* * *

**Undertaking tests as genins that are tricky is only the first step in their journey. There are still D-ranks to commiserate over and training to partake in. There is time to learn and grow, and finally, the C-rank missions start to occur. **

* * *

_***Shrugs* I honestly don't have anything to say for this chapter. It's pretty much a filler with me trying to urge everyone towards the C-rank we all know (well, kind of know). I will admit that what happens in the rest of the book - since it follows canon for quite a bit (canon events, not necessarily the same results or actions just the events themselves) - that it probably won't be close to the script. I know the basics of it all fairly well, but I don't know it word for word or to any great extent. A lot of my understanding comes from various fanfics and the naruto wikia. Essentially, I haven't actually seen all of the Naruto anime or manga.**_


	4. Momentous

Unlike normal, Sakura is the last to reach the gate – excluding Kakashi – a thoughtful expression on her face, _(her parents are her parents, but they're also civilians and they don't quite understand Sakura or her friends, or even think like her and Sakura doesn't know what to do anymore because they're her parents and, well, she's lucky to have a family at all)_. Like the others, she's wearing her mission clothes rather than the Ninja Academy clothes she had been wearing the past few days, _(it's a sign she isn't trying, because their teacher has not yet taught them and so she will not respect him until he does)_. Her pink hair held back by her hitai-ate, although a few strands have already slipped out. Upon reaching her teammates, she smiles, the previous expression sliding off her face, _(she hides it)_. "You guys ready?" She chirps, settling her weight into her heels, _(not ready to move because she doesn't believe she's in any danger)_. "I'm excited!"

"Naruto almost packed four containers of easy-to-make ramen," Sasuke reports, a quick look at Naruto betraying his amusement. "Iruka-sensei checked over our bags and said we had everything, though."

"In other words, we're ready!" Naruto says, bouncing on his toes. "This will be my first time out of Konoha proper!"

"Same for all of us, Naruto," Sakura says with a laugh. Glancing around, she wonders aloud, "Who do you think is our client?"

Takuma raises her snout and sniffs the air, before barking twice. "I hope it's the civilian over there," Sasuke says slowly, pointing subtly to his right at the woman with a hiking backpack.

"Bet you we're going to have the ol' drunkard," Naruto counters. "That's just our luck, isn't it? Bad teacher, bad client."

"If you just jinxed us," Sakura warns. Unzipping his dark green turtleneck jacket to reveal the light grey shirt beneath, Naruto laughs, unabashed, _(unafraid, and this is not the false bravado of someone hopeful but someone who trusts those around him). _"Naruto!"

"It can't be that bad," Naruto says. "It's a C-rank mission! It'll be better than a D-rank mission, even if we have to watch the old geezer."

"Standing around gossiping? Doesn't seem like very ninja behaviour," someone states, causing the trio of genins to whirl around, hands going for weapons, _(but not quite getting there)_. Their teacher tilts his head at them. "Jumpy, are you? Come along and meet our client."

Exchanging a quick glance, the three follow after Kakashi towards the grey-haired man holding a bottle. "Tazuna-san," Kakashi says politely, "We are here to escort you to Nami no Kuni and guard you for the duration of the bridge construction."

Behind his glasses, the man's eyes widen. "I'm being escorted by a bunch of kids?!" Instantly, Takuma snarls and a frown fixes itself to Sakura's face, a softer version of Sasuke's scowl, _(they are not kids and they have proven this time and time again to themselves)_.

"They're ninjas, Tazuna-san," Kakashi responds. "They're capable of handling a few bandits. And there is, of course, myself and I'm no slouch."

Tazuna swallows and does a quick survey of the four ninjas. "Of course, my apologies." Taking a gulp of his drink, he adds, "Shall we go?"

"Lead the way, Tazuna-san," Kakashi says, arm sweeping in a single gesture. With one last lingering look at the genins, Tazuna does so, one foot in front of the other and walks out of Konoha's grand gates without even glancing back. Behind him, Kakashi follows, book already out, bright orange cover standing out. The three genins leave the gates together, silent and wary, tense. This is their first C-rank mission and they are aware of the dangers outside of Konoha, _(they are aware of the dangers in Konoha too, but they think themselves safe from such things)_.

* * *

"Surely we could be moving faster," Naruto whispers lowly. There's no response, and Sakura lets the conversation fade into background noise as she sweeps the path ahead with her eyes. At first, nothing seems off, until her eyes fixate themselves on a puddle reflecting the clear blue sky, _(she is not dumb and they underestimate her observation abilities)_.

Whistling like a bird, Sakura takes a step closer to the bridge-builder. She knows that there's been no rain recently, the amount of D-rank missions completed involving irrigation have seen to that. Naruto and Sasuke don't drop their conversation, if anything it gets louder; Naruto grows whinier, Sasuke more aggrieved, _(Sakura grows more proud, because they have grown – all of them)_. However, they take a position between Sakura – who remains next to the client – and the puddle, _(it doesn't look like much, but this is a team working together without a doubt)_.

They're almost by the puddle now, but Sakura knows that the ninjas will probably wait until everyone's distracted – if there are ninjas; she could just be paranoid, _(better paranoid than dead she's been told, and she will listen)_. "Tazuna-san," she begins,_ (thinking distract, distract, distract, but don't get distracted),_ "What's Nami no Kuni like?"

"It was beautiful, once," their client replies. "Nami no Kuni has many rivers and was once famous for its mangroves that were filled with all kinds of lifeforms. My bridge will bring my island's fame back! It's–"

Tazuna doesn't get the time to finish his sentence, two ninjas having leapt out of the puddle behind them during his spiel. Already whirling around, kunai in hand, Sakura settles into a defensive position in front of their client, Naruto and Sasuke on either side of her. The trio pause for a nanosecond, taking in the actions happening in front of them.

Kakashi is there, frozen, caught in a chain covered with spikes. On either side of him are missing-nins from Kirigakure, dark-haired and narrowed eyes, danger radiating from them like something visible, _(this is danger, real and there, it cannot be avoided, this is their lives now – danger everywhere)_. The moment passes and everyone moves, the missing-nins jerk on the chains and there's a squirt of blood, a tearing sound that seems to catch in Sakura's ears and her stomach lurches because it's all too real, _(and he's dead, dead, dead, but she can't afford to think–)_.

Pushing past the nausea in her stomach and fear in her mind is difficult, but Sakura pulls it off, _(you move or you die, c'mon Sakura)_. Kakashi is dead but she can't waste her time right now, _(you don't have time to mourn until the battle is over and you are still alive)_; there is no time for surprise, _(because they are ninjas and nothing can ever be a surprise)._

Sasuke darts forward, _(attack),_ Takuma staying back with Sakura, _(defend),_ and Naruto echoes Sasuke as he heads towards the other missing-nin, _(attack)_. Even if Sakura is defending, that doesn't mean she is incapable of doing nothing. A kunai is in her hand and then in the air before she follows through with her thoughts, _(sometimes your reflexes and instincts are better than any plans you can create in the moment)_. It nails the chain to the tree, and Sakura pulls out another kunai, teeth bared in a snarl. She waits, _(either they come to her and her teammates fail or her teammates will succeed and they won't come for her)_.

However, in a smooth motion, both missing-nins release the chain connecting them, keeping the glove on. The break apart, one going left and the other heading right, moving faster than they had been moving previously, _(no longer caught, but no one is surprised by their escape except Tazuna)._

Heart pounding in his chest, Sasuke finds himself frozen as the missing-nin approaches. The scent of blood is heavy in his mind, _(images of dead bodies and bloodstains and a massacre flash before his eyes and drape themselves over him like they own him),_ and he can barely breathe and he can do nothing but watch as his death speeds towards him and–

And then Kakashi is there, moving in a blur of blue and green and grey hair, _(moving like a ninja of high calibre)_. Barely seeing the speed at which Kakashi moves, the blurred motions stop to reveal Kakashi tying both unconscious missing-nins to a tree. Breath tight in his throat, shoulders up to his ears, Sasuke coughs and gasps and hunches over himself, bile rising. A wet nose nudges his hand, and Sasuke crouches, burying his head in Takuma's coat. He swallows, then rises, _(he is a ninja)_, but keeps a trembling hand buried in his ninken's fur, _(don't show your nerves unless you can afford it)_.

After surveying the two ninjas tied to the tree, Kakashi turns to his students and Tazuna. "I've alerted a nearby Konoha patrol to these two," he says. "Sakura-chan, good defensive planning but remember if you aren't working with Takuma, he can be a hazard more than a help. Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun, good initiative. Sasuke-kun, you _cannot_ afford to freeze in the future. Understood?"

"Yes," Sasuke mumbles, looking down. However, Naruto is quick to step up beside him, reminding the Uchiha that he isn't alone and Sakura nods at him. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke centres himself and lifts him chin; he nods back, _(they are in this together as a team and as friends)_.

"Now, Tazuna," Kakashi says as he looms over their client, "I think it's about time you stopped lying, don't you think?"

Tazuna stutters, face pale and eyes wide. "I- Yes. Right. Well." He pauses and Kakashi taps his own foot impatiently. "Nami no Kuni was prosperous for its commerce and trade that came through shipping. However, a man named _Gatō_ took control of the shipping industry and completely monopolised all trade. He imposed heavy taxes on all of the residents, pushing us further into poverty. Breaking the hold Gatō has on my home will enable to economic stability we need to leave poverty behind us. If I create this bridge, I link my homeland to the mainland and create an alternative method to introduce trade. But Gatō knows of my bridge and wishes to kill me to prevent the bridge from being built."

The old man gets on his knees in front of the four Konoha ninjas. "Please, help me and my family and all of the residents of Nami no Kuni. Please! The lives of a whole island depends on it!"

"You lied about the mission ranking and purposely introduced a team of relatively young and unexperienced ninjas to a combat situation in which they might all die," Kakashi replies. "Why should we continue on our mission? We are within our rights to return to Konoha. We are within our rights to be paid for the incorrect mission rank as well."

"My poor grandson will weep when I never return! My lovely daughter will spend the rest of her days crying and mourning her father! Gatō will continue to rip everything from my people and leave them homeless, foodless, and leave them to die! Konoha ninjas are known for their kindness. Please! Please help me!" Tazuna cries out.

Kakashi tilts his head at his genins, who quickly realise that his decision is depending on their opinion. In response, the three genins form a small circle to quickly discuss their thoughts, _(to discuss what they decide, because it's either all in agreement or they all return; it's altogether or nothing happens at all)_.

"I want to help," Naruto immediately says, _(because he wants to help everyone he can, because he wants to be good, because he wants to prove he is more than the demon people see him as),_ "but I'm aware there are other things at play here."

Sakura nods in agreement. "The obvious benefit of taking the mission is that it'll earn Konoha a good reputation and more influence. The other benefit I'm seeing is that by taking the mission as a team, we earn ourselves a good reputation and influence outside of Konoha and position ourselves to be good candidates for being a chūnin, regardless of our experience or not."

"If we even survive," Sasuke replies, taking care to keep his voice soft, _(don't let anyone overhear your discussions if they could be used against you, and remember civilians are not going to like speaking about death; they are not ninjas)_. "This mission is clearly dangerous with a high chance of death. Moreover, if Gatō is powerful than surely Konoha would have been aware of such a thing was happening, meaning that they've left it for a reason."

"That reason could just be that there'd been no missions in regards to it," Sakura argues. "If he's been using missing-nins, then people might not be aware that they've actually been hired by Gatō."

"That doesn't outweigh the fact that we might die on this mission! Especially if there are missing-nins, what if we find ourselves attacked by someone with jōnin or ANBU strength?" Sasuke hisses back, _(he has a family now)_. "I refuse to leave behind Toru and die on him as well!"

Sakura's expression softens, but Naruto speaks first instead. "If Konoha gains a better reputation and more influence, there's likely to be an increase in missions to Konoha. Moreover, Nami no Kuni would be in Konoha's debt if we continue on with this mission. That means that our relative daimyōs can create trade and an alliance. Plus, a levy can be placed on the bridge so Konoha gets the funds that weren't received from this mission due to its incorrect rank."

"Spoken like a true Hokage," Sakura teases, but the joke falls flat, Naruto's awkward laugh is quick to taper off. Their decision hangs in the balance, their decision impacts an entire nation and its people. Their decision is much bigger than them, and they're struggling to fully comprehend everything. They could die, but they might not. They may help Konoha or the three of them may die instead.

It partially comes down to the three considering the downsides and the upsides, considering the factors because they are – after all – ninjas. But that isn't all it comes down to, in the end. There's silence between all three of them for a second, and then Naruto turns to face Kakashi and Tazuna, his friends beside him.

_(In the end, it comes down to a few things.)_

"We'll do it, believe it!"

_(Naruto was brought up lost and confused and struggling to survive in a world made cruel by circumstance and choice.)_

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Tazuna says as he gets up. "I won't forget this!"

_(Sasuke forged his personality with the death of a clan and the awkward love of a ninja reborn.)_

With a few hand seals, Kakashi creates a solid clone beside him, who salutes and heads back to Konoha. "My clone will alert Konoha and ask for backup," he says.

_(Sakura forever strived forward to meet her goals, to be more than anyone thought.)_

"Let's go," Sasuke says, stepping forward with his team around him and beside him, eyes watching the path ahead of him.

_(The three of them know danger, know the harshness of life, but they know love and peace as well. They know of danger, but danger itself remains unknown to them. They go because they are hopeful, and because they don't believe that the worst will happen; that terrible, terrible things won't happen to them.)_

* * *

It takes them a few days to reach the shore of Hi no Kuni, during which time there are no more attacks. They've kept a rather slow pace, but each night they set up camp, Tazuna appears exhausted, so Sasuke assumes that the pace is only slow for ninjas, _(and he still doesn't know how big the gap is between ninjas and civilians)_. There's a small jetty that looks like it will fall apart at the slightest touch. In his mind, Sasuke can imagine the six planks of wood buckling beneath him and sending him into the cool water.

Tazuna, though, doesn't appear worried about the pier breaking beneath him, instead walking across it, and ringing the bell on the end once. The sound echoes out, dampened by the white mist that comes rolling in. The silence feels heavy, _(it feels like they are being watched, but Sasuke knows that is paranoia speaking)_. Around Sasuke, the only clear sounds he can make out is the waves lapping against the sand and the breathing of those around him.

Something else catches his attention, and squinting, Sasuke spots a boat coming towards the group. Appearing uncaring – or perhaps unknowing – of the danger it could present, Tazuna waits by the edge of the pier.

The boat pulls to a stop, a man with oars gesturing for the group to get in. Tazuna steps on, easily balancing as the small rowboat rocks with the movement. Naruto steps in after, Sakura reaching out to help steady him from her position on the jetty. After a second, Naruto regains his balance and quickly sits down, Sakura soon joining him. Taking a breath and mentally preparing himself to feel the chill of the water, Sasuke steps into the boat, bending his knees to keep his centre of gravity low. Soon enough, he sits down, a tap of the wood results in Takuma softly jumping in. The rowboat rocks once again, but doesn't overturn.

"It's good to see you're back, Tazuna-san," the man says as he starts rowing. Sasuke watches the shore become obscured by the fog and wonders if he'll ever see Konoha again, _(or if he's going to die far from home with a goodbye his last words to Toru)_. "Process of the bridge has continued at the same rate, despite one person quitting."

"Bah," Tazuna spits. "They can quit, but this bridge will be done."

"We believe in you, Tazuna-san, but no one wants to risk their families."

"You don't think I know that?" Tazuna responds, glaring at the man rowing. "I know that better than most."

"I didn't mean it that way," the other Nami no Kuni native says.

"My apologies, then," Tazuna says. He turns his attention to the ninjas guarding him. "We're almost there. You'll be staying with my family whilst the bridge is completed. We have enough space, although you may be relying on your tenting gear in regards to having a place to sleep on."

"I'm sure we'll manage, Tazuna-san," Sakura says. "We've managed thus far." She shivers slightly, and glances around, clearly trying to peer through the sea fog that's obscuring everything. "Is this fog always around?"

"It rolls in from the sea," Tazuna explains, "It comes early mornings if it's cold enough or during the night. It comes from the south due to the open ocean that way. It should disperse soon enough with the morning sun. It won't stay for long."

Sasuke wonders what it would be like to live in such a place like this, with its silence and mist. It seems rather lonely and, well, boring. If he remembers correctly, Nami no Kuni have no ninjas, _(he's no one if he's not a ninja)_. "Is that the bridge?" Naruto asks excitedly, breaking Sasuke out of his rumination. "It's massive!"

"That's the bridge," Tazuna says proudly. "It'll be the largest bridge ever created by the time it's completed. It also means we're almost at our drop-off point. Thank you Rikuto-san."

"Complete this bridge is all I ask," Rikuto, the rower, responds as the boat's prow rasps against the sand of the shore. Takuma is the first to jump out, landing on the sand rather than the water, and avoiding the sound of splashes. Sasuke follows quickly, and helps both of his teammates out, ensuring that no one trips out of the boat or on the loose sand.

Tazuna leaves last, thanking Rikuto again, before leading them forwards. "This is the backway to the village that goes past my house," he explains. "It's a small path and not often used, which makes it perfect when you don't want to get caught."

The trio of genins exchange glances. Whilst Tazuna may think it's the perfect path to not get caught, the isolated nature of the path only means that it was more likely to be targeted, _(fear lays thick on Sasuke's tongue; he doesn't want to die)_. "Civilians," Sasuke hisses to his friends. Sakura rolls her eyes and Naruto bumps his shoulder. He's glad that they both agree.

A simple hand gesture and Takuma leaps into the bushes, hiding himself and doing his best not to make noise. "This fog's making me nervous," Sakura admits a half-minute later. "There's no way to see if anything's coming and it pretty much dampens all the noise."

"I thought it was going to go _soon_," Naruto says, voice raising on the last word.

Tazuna looks up from where he'd been staring at his feet. He frowns, "It honestly should have gone by now." Just after he speaks, there's a loud rustle and a high-pitched squeal. Takuma exits the bushes with a white rabbit in his mouth.

Sasuke blinks in surprise, because Takuma doesn't hunt without reason or without orders. It hits him in that moment, and Sakura too, obvious in how she curses loudly.

"Down!" Kakashi shouts, and pulls Tazuna down beside him. Instantly, the three genins flatten themselves on the ground, _(when someone says down you respond or you die)_. A sword passes over their head, eerie in the dim light offered by the sun's rays that manage to escape through the fog.

The sword ends up lodged in a tree, and between one blink and the next, a man reveals himself. He stands on the sword, leaning against the tree, surveying the four ninjas and their client. Nothing shows in his face or his body language, and the three genins get up, reaching for their kunais.

"Kiri-nin," Sakura whispers.

"Missing-nin," Sasuke counters. "Defensive positions go." The three genins shift, Naruto standing in front of Tazuna, Sasuke on the left, and Sakura on Tazuna's right.

"The Demon of the Hidden Mist – Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi says slowly. "You're a long way from Mizu no Kuni."

"Copy-nin," the missing-nin replies in a low baritone. "You're in my way."

"I do believe you're in ours," Kakashi returns, seemingly uncaring of the dangerous ninja in front of him, but he moves his hitai-ate. "Would you mind moving?"

Zabuza laughs, the noise only partially muffled by the bandages covering his face. "Even someone with your reputation cannot stop me from assassinating my target," he responds, eyes pausing on the group of genins and the civilian. "Especially with the weaknesses you have brought to this fight."

_(Sasuke wants to rage against the label, because he is not weak and neither is Naruto nor Sakura, but he can't because in a battle between jōnins, he is a weakness, a liability, even if he doesn't want to be.)_

Leaping off the sword, Zabuza grabs it in one hand and darts forward towards Kakashi. Easily dodging the first blow, Kakashi releases two kunais, and Zabuza jerks backwards.

The fog thickens and everything becomes hidden from view, _(everyone becomes hidden)_.

"Be on your guard," Kakashi warns, not even looking over his shoulder. He waits, ready, and Sasuke feels somewhat comforted by that fact. He knows that Kakashi is fast, but he hasn't seen the jōnin fight against an enemy of Zabuza's calibre, and he can't help but feel - worried. As a genin, he knows he is a liability in this fight. Tightening his grip on his kunai, Sasuke amends his thought. He might be a liability, but he can also help if needed, _(he's more than a weakness and a liability, he knows he is)_.

"Eight points I can attack that cause instant death," Zabuza says, his voice echoing in the fog and seeming to come from every direction. Behind Sasuke, Takuma swivels their head, trying to figure out where their opponent is. "The heart, the jugular, the spine, the–"

Takuma yelps as he's kicked away by Zabuza who lands behind the three genins, moving fast enough that they're unable to even turn to see the missing-nin. However, before he can kill Tazuna, Kakashi is there, pushing Tazuna out of the way and blocking Zabuza's attack.

Sasuke leaps back, but already the pair have moved away. Along with Naruto and Sakura, he takes a defensive position around Tazuna, eyes watching Zabuza and Kakashi fight. It's difficult to see what's going on, let along understand it, and in the back of his mind, Sasuke wonders if Toru can fight at such a high speed.

The fight seems to halt, and Sasuke feels his nerves die down as Kakashi slices a kunai through Zabuza's throat, except there's no bleeding and only water falls. The clone dies in silence – a memory calls itself to the top of Sasuke's mind, another fight with a water clone of Naruto's, and then he's focussing back on the fight.

Zabuza lands behind Kakashi, attempts to cut through Kakashi's spine, except Kakashi is also a water clone. The pair pause, once again, opposite one another and charge. Sasuke can't make out who has the upper hand, because the fight is happening so quickly. Suddenly, both ninjas are out on the water. In the next second, Kakashi is captured in a ball of water and Sasuke's mouth feels dry, _(a weakness and a liability and now he has to fight)_.

_(They're all going to die and it will be his fault)._

"Sasuke!" Sakura says, voice tight, and Sasuke centres himself. They've planned for this. They knew that they would one day be faced with an enemy better than all of them – they are young and small, peacetime not-quite-soldiers and Konoha has a reputation for being soft. They know to use everything to their advantage.

"Got it," Sasuke says back. Chakra rises in his throat, a burn that doesn't actually exist. There are three water clones of Zabuza approaching, and Sasuke is really the wrong person to take them on, but he's currently all they've got. Flipping through hand seals, he calls, "Fire Release: Great Fireball!" The ball of fire is about the size of Sasuke's head and it slams into one of the clones, creating more steam and leaving two clones left to defeat. Then, there's no more time to attack, and Sakura is beside him as they desperately try to keep the clones at bay.

"Run!" Kakashi yells, and Sakura narrows her eyes. She doesn't listen, and neither do her teammates. She stands between Tazuna and one of Zabuza's clone, and does her best as the clone darts forward, _(sometimes your best is not good enough, sometimes there are no second chances)_.

Sasuke manages to block Zabuza's clone's first strike, but the second sends him stumbling backwards and he takes a cut to his shoulder in response, _(he doesn't notice)_. However, Sasuke knows that even stumbling he can do something, _(Toru taught him that even falling you can turn your vulnerable position into one that allows you to attack)._ He throws his kunai and leans back further, the moment his hands touch the damp ground, he pushes himself forward. Chakra strengthens his blow and his feet slam into Zabuza's clone.

Drenched, but victorious, Sasuke looks at Sakura who lays on the ground, completely soaked, with her eyes closed. Heart pounding in his chest, but then Tazuna is checking her pulse and meets Sasuke's gaze. "She's alive," he says, sounding distraught and Sasuke nods. There's no time for anything else.

_(Sometimes there are no second chances and sometimes you die, but sometimes you're lucky.)_

Naruto leaps out of the bushes and throws a shuriken at Zabuza. The missing-nin easily dodges, even standing on water. Teeth bared, Sasuke flips through a bunch of hand seals. "Body Replacement Technique!" He takes the place of the shuriken, twisting. Landing on the water, his chakra pushes him out of the water, not steady but holding him for a bare second, _(he hasn't been taught this but they all know the basics)_. It's all the time he needs to go through six hand seals and shout, "Fire Release: Great Fireball!"

The fire flies true, straight at Zabuza, and Sasuke goes through the water, immediately kicking out as he tries to get his head above water. Despite his best efforts, salt water floods his mouth and he's spitting it out the moment he can breathe again, _(and he can breathe and he isn't dead and they did it)_.

A half glance is all he needs to see that Zabuza had released Kakashi and the pair are fighting once again, except now it's clear that Kakashi has the advantage of Zabuza. One swim stroke and then another, and then Sasuke's out of the water and back beside Naruto, the cut on his shoulder a sting that he ignores.

Naruto stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Sasuke, Takuma at behind Tazuna, who is crouching beside Sakura as if he can protect her, _(Sasuke knows that Tazuna can't, but he's hopeful now). _

Ninjutsu after ninjutsu clashes together, a battle of water and wind and lightning and earth. It pauses, for a moment, each ninja rushing through a multitude of hand seals, motions blurring together. Kakashi clearly finishes first, and from the ocean, a dragon made of water rises. It lifts into the sky and slams forward, crashing into Zabuza and smashing him against a tree. The water disperses then, and Zabuza is slowly trying to stand, even as Kakashi rushes forward.

Nonetheless, Kakashi pulls up short as three small weapons fly past his cheek, _(silent and deadly, but he is not dead – none of them are dead)_. They accurately land on Zabuza's neck, and another ninja reveals themselves on a branch. They're wearing a mask, and from the mask alone Sasuke can tell that they're a hunter-nin for Kirigakure. Naruto doesn't say anything, so Sasuke assumes he's figured out the same, _(Sakura is silent, but she isn't **dead**)_.

"Thank you, ninja-san," the masked ninja says, leaping down and picking up Zabuza, throwing him over their shoulder. "I will take things from here." In a blur of motion and speed, the two disappear from sight.

Sasuke only turns when he sees a thump and sees Kakashi lying face down on the ground. "He collapsed," Tazunza says, frazzled and wide-eyed.

Naruto looks at Sasuke, and he's sure they're both pale faced. They're genins, and not experienced enough to be leading any kind of mission, except – perhaps – D-ranks. "Tazuna-san, how far away is your house?" Sasuke asks, _(they will lead anyway)_. "Naruto, do we know what's up with Sakura?"

"Nearby," Tazuna says.

"She's just unconscious, no lump or cut on her head," Naruto reports, _(there's no one else left)_. "Between the pair of us we can probably carry Kakashi-sensei…"

"I can carry Sakura-chan," Tazuna says, picking up the girl in question. Naruto and Sasuke nod, and working together, manage to lift Kakashi. "This way."

_(They will make do.)_

* * *

Two kilometres west of his target, Jakkaru calls one of his summons to him. "Takeo-san," he greets.

"Toru-san," the cockroach says in respond, leaping onto Jakkaru's shoulder. "There are five ninjas in the building you asked about. Two are doing separate patrols, one is outside the doors of your target, and the other two are wandering randomly. I doubt you will have any problems with them."

"Thank you for your help," Jakkaru says. Takeo nods and disappears in a burst of smoke. Checking over his weapons and securing his mask once again, Jakkaru suppresses his chakra and heads towards the building, _(Uzushio or Konoha ANBU doesn't matter – he is ANBU and the mission is all there is)_.

Over the past few days, Jakkaru has surveyed the building and stalked his target. He's quickly running out of time to finish his mission on time. However, he's not too worried. It would be fairly easy to assassinate his target via poison from his summons. But the mission parameters had stated that the target couldn't be killed through poison, which – now that he thinks about it – is probably why Jakkaru had been sent.

The building is now in sight, and Jakkaru lets the henge encompass his body. Waiting, he scans his surroundings and then the building itself. A flicker of chakra to his eyes, and his eyesight improves tremendously. Due to the chakra boost, he's able to spot the form of one of the patrolling ninjas.

Kunai in hand, he slips into the shadows and ghosts around the building, taking care to remain on the edge of the trees where he's most hidden, and also most comfortable, _(because sometimes comfort is safety, and being comfortable does not mean being lax). _It's easy to hear the ninja coming before Jakkaru sees them; they are loud when hopping from tree branch to adjacent tree branch. Or, perhaps, not quite loud – but Jakkaru has grown up in Konoha _(Uzushio)_ surrounded by trees _(the ocean)_ and he's grown accustomed to the Konoha silence of tree-jumping.

The ninja leaps, and Jakkaru darts out of his hidden place. He flies through five hand seals, and by the time, he's reached the enemy ninja – who is now aware of him – his chakra is humming, ready to attack. His fingers brush his enemy's shoulder, and then the enemy tries to stab him. However, it is already too late and Jakkaru's sleeping genjutsu has taken hold of them. He places them on the ground, _(mercy can be given, can be afforded here, and so Jakkaru – ANBU or not – will give it where he can)._

Now is the time to move, so Jakkaru – still beneath a henge – heads towards the building. At the top of the building is the other patrolling ninja, so Jakkaru quickly scales the building with the help of his chakra. Silent, he reaches the top and clambers over. For a brief moment, he goes unnoticed, and then the other ninja attacks, katana in hand. Chakra pulsing, he launches through the same five hand seals from earlier, and with the chakra buzzing beneath his skin, he stops the blade with his hand. It skates against his gloves, but the katana conducts his chakra and his enemy drops, asleep, _(mercy offered once again)_.

Divulging the ninja of weapons, _(mercy can be given, but there's no reason to be overconfident), _the Konoha ANBU takes them and heads into the building itself through a window that he forces open. This time, he's unlucky, as there's a ninja just inside the hallway who spots him coming in. They fight.

It's messy and Jakkaru does everything he can to ensure that the fight remains silent. His opponent flares their chakra, but Jakkaru's target is a civilian and won't notice, _(it's almost certain the other ninjas will come for him, but that is a future problem)_. Blocking a fist, he dodges a kick and then sweeps his enemy's legs from underneath them. The other falls, twisting, but it's simple to unsheathe his sword and rest it on the collarbone of his enemy.

His opponent looks up at him, harsh breathing filling the air, but holds still as if awaiting judgement. It's clear they are a Kirigakure ninja, but whether one that remains loyal to Kirigakure or not is unknown. Jakkaru's hand clenches around the hilt of his sword, because Kirigakure killed his people and ruined Uzushio, _(but the people of now are not to blame for yesterday's actions)_.

A smooth motion later, and Jakkaru is moving quickly, leaving the unconscious ninja behind him, _(it is a mercy in his mind)_. There's a minute before he's found by the other two ninjas who attack without warning. Back to the wall, he decides to stop this from becoming a taijutsu fight that wakes up his target.

It takes less than a second for him to think of what he wants. Snapping his hands out, he commands, "Fūin!" His two opponents collapse, each with a Paralytic Seal, _(Uzushio is in his blood)_. He stoops, knocking them out with the hilt of his kunai, and removes the seals before continuing on. The layout of the building – that he had been given back in Konoha before he had even left – had showed that the last room on the second floor is where he should be looking for his target.

Sneaking into the room is easy with no one left to oppose him. He pauses by the edge of the man, staring at the noble woman who is wanted dead for some reason or another. Slipping through six hand seals, he places a hand on her neck and waits. Beneath his fingers, her pulse skyrockets before growing weaker and weaker and finally petering out.

Mission complete, Jakkaru leaves the room and the building behind. Three kilometres south of the island his target had been on, Jakkaru _(Uzukage, Toru Mizushima, ANBU Commander)_ pauses.

He swerves west, away from Konoha, and towards something he can barely make out through the trees. Breaking out of the threes, stumbling, Jakkaru finds himself staring at a ruined clan compound with Uzushio's broken symbol on its wall, _(and it could almost be Uzushio)_. Resting a hand on the symbol, he swallows and channels the slightest bit of chakra into it. The symbol glows for a second before flickering out. It doesn't glow again, _(will Uzushio ever rise again)_.

Caught between Konoha and Uzushio, Jakkaru hesitates before leaping over the damaged wall in a single bound, _(Konoha calls to him but Uzushio is who he is)_. A single look tells him that this place has been abandoned and in ruins for quite some time, long enough for nature to start reclaiming it.

His gaze falls on a bird on the ground, wing at an uneven angle. Even with his terrible chakra sense, he can tell that the bird has a used chakra system. Heart beating a futile song in his chest, he picks up the bird gently. It's not conscious, so it's easy for Jakkaru to heal its broken wing _(kindness in an ANBU; there is a reason Uzushio chose him)_. The moment he's done, the bird decides to wake up.

It screeches loudly, and instantly takes to the skies, leaping out of Jakkaru's hands. "Wait, Hagoromo-san!" Jakkaru says, hoping against the odds that he's right, _(that this is connected to Uzushio in some way)_. The bird turns, hovering in the air out of reach, but gazes down at him. "The Hagoromo Clan," he begins, voice cracking, _(fear and worry and love wreaking havoc on his vocal chords)_. "Did they survive this?"

The bird lands on a piece of rubble. "Who are you?" It says, tilting its head. "How do you know of my clan?"

"Uzushio," Jakkaru says. "I'm- I'm Uzushio's." The bird remains quiet, and he quickly realises that saying he's Uzushio's isn't enough. "The sea never dies."

The nintori flaps its wings twice. "I am Haruko. Follow me, I will take you to the clan."

"Thank you," Jakkaru says, but the bird has already taken off and his words are lost in the wind. Following the bird isn't easy, but he keeps pace, even with his mind stuck on the Hagoromo Clan. Alike to Konoha's Inuzuka Clan, the Hagoromo Clan worked with an animal partner – birds. Largely the Hagoromo Clan worked in Uzushio as messengers, often being those in Uzushio's outposts so they could get messages back to Uzushio quickly, _(Uzushio fell anyway)_.

The bird dives down in the clearing up ahead, and Jakkaru follows in a cautious manner, pausing uncertainly on a branch. However, seeing an Uzushio clan pulls him forward, and he steps into the clearing, into the light, _(out of hiding)_.

"Jakkaru-san?" Someone says tentatively. "Is that you?"

Shrugging, Jakkaru responds, "In essence, yes."

"Uzushio died," the same person says, approaching him.

Raising his hand to his mask, Jakkaru debates it for a brief second, but then he reminds himself that this is _Uzushio_. These people are his and won't betray him, _(he hopes; a betrayal from Uzushio would be the end)_. He takes off his mask. "Uzushio did not die," he counters, lifting his chin. "Kirigakure slaughtered our people and tried their best to destroy us. They failed. They expected us to fall quietly and Uzushio did not want to. They thought they could kill the sea but the _sea never dies._"

"You are not our Toru," the Hagoromo member says with a shake of her head. "You are not Uzushio's."

Chakra in his fingers, Toru Mizushima _(Uchiha) (Uzumaki) (Jakkaru)_ sketches a seal in the air. "Uzushio did not want to die," he says as he continues to draw Uzushio's symbol. "She didn't want me to die either, so she stopped me."

"That… makes no sense."

Toru watches the seal glow in mid-air before disappearing. "No, but the oldest seals, we never knew what they did, what they could do. Besides, we all knew that Uzushio wasn't just a location. She was sentient."

"How do we know you are who you say you are?"

Toru meets the woman's eyes, chin lifted and shoulder squared, _(sometimes hope is all you have)_. "You can't. All you have his hope and something that seems impossible. You have to choose whether you believe it. Uzushio did not die and she will… she will live again. Uzushio brought me back for a reason. This time no one will destroy us."

The woman bows her head, and she's clearly speaking for all the Hagoromo Clan members. "Uzukage-sama," she says, voice a coarse whisper. "You have come to us."

"Hoshiko-chan," Toru says, eyes alight as he recalls the ten-year-old genin who had only recently graduated when Uzushio had been attacked. "You have done well." He looks around, seeing faces he knows and faces he doesn't, but they are all his regardless since they are Uzushio's. "You have all done well. Survive for a bit longer, and Uzushio will call you home soon enough."

"Thank you, Uzukage-sama," Hoshiko says, wiping away tears. "It will be good to have a home again."

Once again, Toru is caught between Konoha and Uzushio, his past and his future, his two separate lives are converging, and he knows this could never have been avoided, _(but it would have been easier)_. He slips on his mask, _(he returns to being Jakkaru because that is easier),_ and calls one of his summons. "Toru-san," Yamato greets. "What need do you have of me?"

"Can you stay with this clan, Yamato-san?" Toru asks. "I will have reason to send them messages eventually, but for now, we need some way to keep in contact."

The cockroach turns to face the Hagoromo Clan members and nods. "I will do as you ask, Toru-san."

One of the children is already laying on the floor in front of Yamato. "You can talk!" They say cheerfully. "Do you wanna be my new friend?"

The cockroach crawls onto the child's outstretched hand, causing the child to laugh. "Sure," the cockroach decides. "You will have to carry me wherever you go, though. My legs are short."

"Same!" The child says excitedly as they sit cross-legged on the ground. "But I'm gonna be the bestest ninja Uzushio has ever seen because we're Uzushio-nins."

_(Uzushio's fall has not ruined everyone's innocence and sometimes stories are the strongest things in the world.)_

A smile on his face, Toru meets Hoshiko's gaze. "I will be in touch, and you know how to contact me now," he says. Slipping on his mask once again, he adds, "I have to go, though. There are others depending on me."

"Who are you now?" Hoshiko asks. "Who are you?"

"Who I have always been," Toru responds. "I am Jakkaru and I am Toru. I am me." He doesn't know if that's the response Hoshiko was waiting for, but he's aware that he's on a time limit. And, more importantly, seeing the children of the Hagoromo Clan has reminded him of Naruto and Sasuke waiting back in Konoha, and he's been hit with an urge to be in Konoha.

_(He's running away from Uzushio but not towards Konoha.)_

* * *

An hour after darkness has fallen, with Jakkaru back in Hi no Kuni, he enters one of Konoha's hidden safe houses. His head's in disarray from earlier, because he is torn and he is confused. He had rushed his words, and worry and fear had twisted themselves around his bones like chains. He'd been uncertain about what to say, didn't know if they would believe him, _(but they had, they had and he loves them all the more for it)_, didn't know if they would trust him. He had spoken and he can't even remember what he had said. He doesn't know what he did or what he said but he left Yamato with them.

He had spoken with them and then ran, ran from fear and from love and from trust, ran from _Uzushio_. Even now, hours later, there's something disgusting in his stomach and something acidic bubbling in his chest. He feels nauseous without actually feeling nauseous.

When he had remembered he is Uzushio's, he had felt alright, felt safe, felt loved, but finding the people of Uzushio desperate for a home and stuck in a country whose people had tried to kill them many times… He feels terrible, and he doesn't know why. Not feeling up to eating, he decides to try and meditate, soothe his thoughts and feelings and centre himself. His mindset is all off, a mix of Toru and ANBU, Uzushio and Konoha. He's being torn in two and he doesn't know where to go. There is no middle ground for any of this.

Closing his eyes, he breathes, _(in; out; in; out; breathe, Toru-kun; you're alive, focus on that, everything else will come when it will)_. Beneath his skin, his chakra moves restlessly, wanting an outlet but not provided with one. But, it's also more than that. Chakra remembers, it is both Toru Uchiha-Uzumaki and Toru Mizushima; it is Toru and Jakkaru; ANBU Commander and jōnin; ANBU and chūnin. It is a son, a brother, a family member, a clan member.

His chakra is the roaring ocean and the pouring rain, the soft drizzle and the bubbling brooks. His chakra is the cutting wind that's cold and sharp, ever-changing and unpredictable, yet strong. His chakra is water and wind, but for all of its strength and danger, it is also comforting. It is never anything but what it is. It cannot hide its true nature.

_(He cannot hide who he is forever.) _

A crackle interrupts his thoughts, and he surfaces out of his meditation, feeling steadier. He doesn't know what his path will be or what his future plans are, but he knows who he is. He is who he has always been and that hasn't changed even in the face of revelations recently encountered. He is Toru Uchiha, Toru Uzumaki, Toru Mizushima, and he loves Konoha and Uzushio. The day Konoha doesn't need him will be the day that Uzushio rises again, _(the day Sasuke doesn't need him will be the day he leaves; Naruto's never really needed him, besides, Naruto has Iruka)._

"Konoha ninjas, please report in," the radio crackles again, and Jakkaru picks up his end.

"This is shinobi #012182," he reports, "to Konoha."

"Shinobi #012182 this is Konoha. What is your distance to Nami no Kuni?"

"Roughly half a day's run," Jakkaru responds, wondering what's wrong and why he's been called in.

"Wait a moment, shinobi," the unknown caller says. There's a shuffling on that end of the radio, and then a voice Jakkaru knows well speaks.

"This is kunoichi #0122777, our immediate superior is on a mission, so I'm here in their stead. Understood?"

"Hai," Jakkaru responds, tension fading from his body as he hears Sora's voice. "What am I needed to do?"

"A C-rank mission has gone wrong in Nami no Kuni and requires additional support. You are allowed to take whatever actions you deem are necessary to ensure the safety of the genin team and their teacher. You are to do this as yourself, obviously, and are allowed to reveal your identity to those of a correct rank," Sora replies. "The mission has been re-evaluated to be an A-rank mission."

"Understood," Jakkaru replies, shaking off his ANBU mindset.

"Good luck," Sora says, "and enjoy the sea, I've heard that it's lovely this time of year." The radio turns off and _Jakkaru_ Toru nods to himself. Sora had given him the phrase that told him everything was fine. Changing quickly to his chūnin gear, Toru stores his ANBU mask in his storage seals. It's half a day's run to Nami no Kuni normally, but Toru doesn't want to be responsible for the death of an entire genin team, so he plans to run a bit faster than normal.

He makes it to Nami no Kuni in eight hours.

* * *

**Team Kakashi finally receives a C-rank mission, but it takes a turn for the worse. With both Sakura and Kakashi unconscious, Naruto and Sasuke are on their own with Tazuna and are all too aware of the dangers after them. Meanwhile, Jakkaru finishes his mission and finds old Uzushio citizens. His dream to restore Uzushio is no longer so far out of reach, but before he returns to Konoha he is given new orders. He has no idea who awaits him in Nami no Kuni.**

* * *

_**We all need some Uzushio in our lives. **_

_**I'm still struggling with the characterisations of Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura. I think I'm in that between stage, where I'm caught between one version of them and the next, even if I don't know what versions I'm caught between. **_

_**Oh no, I forgot to put in any of the bracket parts. Well, guess who's going to go add probably a few hundred words to this. It added 800 words roughly. **_

_**So, Sasuke freezing when attacked was something I wanted to put in because how could the massacre not fuck him up in some way? He gets through it by Zabuza's attack, but he still paused initially. **_

_**You can already see the differences from canon to this part, but also some of that is due to the fact I can't be bothered checking out canon events and points so I'm going off what I remember and what I feel works. Somethings (as you see later) are similar, because Konoha may have changed but that doesn't mean the rest of the world has. **_

_**Tazuna acts different but that's because I don't know what exactly he said in canon so I went with what felt right and fit well. **_

_**The debate the three genins have is great because you see their personalities and thoughts there, and also how much work Naruto has put into thinking about being a Hokage.**_

_**Also, Sasuke kept thinking about the pier because it's so badly made and he is all too aware of the fragility of human life. **_

_**I got to show the differences in civilian thoughts and ninja thoughts which was fun! I liked exploring that clear distinction. It's interesting, to say the least.**_

_**The fight with Zabuza went differently because Naruto has no shadow clones. However, Toru taught him the water clone because he had the chakra needed for it, although he can only create one. Sasuke defaults to the fireball because it's his best ninjutsu, even against water. **_

_**The fight ends differently to canon, with Sakura out. It adds more drama to it all, and kinda makes it more realistic. Also, Sakura is defending because she is the best at defending. Naruto is the chakra tank and Sasuke is the taijutsu person and Sakura is the healer, she needs to be protected so she can heal their injuries. It's all good though, she'll have some good fighting scenes later, I'm sure (I definitely want her to, because she is badass and deserves more fight scenes).**_

_**Okay, so with Jakkaru's mission, I will be honest. I was 1000 words short of where I wanted to be, so I thought I'd start that part even though I was originally planning to leave it for the next chapter... And then it just grew? And grew some more. **_

_**The assassination bit is something I need to explore in Ocean's Own Stories, but I just haven't gotten around to writing it just yet, but I'll get there. I swear! Essentially, Jakkaru's in the bingo book for his assassinations. **_

_**Uzushio came back! Toru wants to bring Uzushio back! I am excited because I have been leading up to this for a bit. This is really only the start. Also, yeah, the writing for that scene was awkward and I didn't know what to do about it and I have so many issues with it. I tried to explain myself in the following bit, I don't know how well that worked. I'm no happy with it regardless. **_

_**On another note, I have under 10 hours until I'm on a plane and flying elsewhere, so I'm going to do my best to go write another above 5000 word chapter; I hope you enjoyed this!**_


	5. Missions

**TigrezzTail - How will he bring back Uzushio? You'll have to wait and see, I'm afraid.**

**Updates are going to become bi-monthly from here on out, since we've caught up to where I want this to be. Enjoy the last quick update for a while.**

* * *

Ordinarily, it would be difficult for Toru to locate those he's meant to be helpful, because upon arriving on the shore of Nami no Kuni – the one closest to Hi no Kuni – he realises he has no idea where to go. However, he's exploring one of the small paths – clearly man-made – where an animal below him catches his attention.

Without any reason to fear any animals around, Toru flips onto the ground, startling the animal who lifts their head. "Takuma?" Toru asks, heart in his throat because there is helping a genin team and then helping Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura, _(helping his family)_. The ninken barks. "Sasuke," Toru says immediately. "Takuma, _go._"

The dog sprints off, Toru easily keeping up. He might have pushed himself to make it to Nami no Kuni in a short amount of time, but he knows that you always keep some in reserve, _(keeping a something in reserve can lead to you surviving when otherwise you would have died)._ They reach a house, and Toru steps up to the door, Takuma beside him with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

A sharp knock on the door, and then he steps back to wait, left hand resting above his weapons pouch. The door swings inward, hinges whining, and a woman with dark blue hair, _(like Sasuke and where is he)_, looks out at him. "Are you with the other Konoha ninjas?" She asks politely. "They're upstairs with their teacher."

"I am," Toru says, mumbling his response as his head gets around that it is Sasuke and Naruto in danger. "Are they alright?"

"It's best that you ask them that," the woman responds. "I am Tsunami."

"Toru Uchiha," he responds, eyes glancing at the stairway he can see as Tsunami closes the door behind him.

"I can see you're worried, Uchiha-san, you can go upstairs," Tsunami says.

"Thank you, Tsunami-san," he responds and quickly rushes up the stairs, Takuma following after him.

There's an open door nearby, and he can sense chakra systems waiting in the room. He enters, and coughs lightly, drawing the attention of those in the room. "Toru!" Sasuke shouts, lunging across. Toru crouches down and draws the boy into a hug. Naruto is quick to join, and Toru just- breathes. He breathes, and reminds himself that he is alive and they are alive and no one is dead, _(except those already dead and he can do nothing about them)._

Swallowing, Toru draws back and offers a half-smile to Sakura who lurks on the edge of the group. "Hey kiddos," he says lowly. "I'm afraid I'm here on business, not just for hugs." A hint of a smile touches Naruto's face, but otherwise no reaction is given for his joke. Kakashi is still on the bed, which makes Toru frown. "Sasuke, send Takuma out scouting and find out where your client is. Naruto, can you go check if Tsunami-san needs any help?" Both boys frown, but do as Toru asks without questioning him. "Sakura-chan, could you tell me what has happened so far?"

"We left Konoha with our client, Tazunza-san," the genin reports. "We were ambushed by two Kiri missing-nin early on. Kakashi-sensei left the two missing-nins for a Konoha patrol and reported our situation back to Konoha… somehow. Tazunza-san then revealed that Gatō was trying to kill him for creating a bridge that would stop Gatō's control of Nami no Kuni and the surrounding ocean. Shortly after reaching Nami no Kuni, Zabuza Momochi attacked us. Kakashi-sensei engaged him but ended up losing and was captured briefly by Momochi. He sent water clones towards both myself and Sasuke as we were protecting Tazuna-san. During the following battles, I was knocked out and Sasuke sustained a cut to his shoulder. From there I have been told that Sasuke and Naruto worked together to break Momochi's hold of Kakashi-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei attacked Momochi and won, before the missing-nin was taken away by a Kiri hunter-nin. He collapsed shortly afterwards."

"Have you experienced any symptoms of a concussion?"

"No. There wasn't a bump or cut on my head either, and I'm aware of where I am and haven't experience any nausea or a headache or anything really. I believe that Kakashi-sensei is suffering from chakra exhaustion, and I healed Sasuke's cut a few hours after I had woken up."

Sighing in relief, Toru ruffles Sakura's hair. "You've done well, Sakura-chan. You've all done well. Why don't you go bring the other two up if Tsunami-san doesn't need any help? Make sure Tazuna-san remains in the house at all times for now." Sakura nods and leaves the room in a hurry.

Toru lays a hand on Kakashi's forehead and coaxes his chakra down his arm. Frowning, he focusses, ensuring that there's only pure chakra in his arm rather than any other type of chakra. Rather than letting the chakra rest in his arm, he channels it into Kakashi. There's a second of resistance, but with a mental shove, the chakra continues to flow. It's always strange to partake in a chakra transfusion, the feeling of your chakra leaving you and entering someone else.

After a few moments, Toru cuts off his chakra, breaking the cycle. The sensation of his chakra traversing someone else's body stays with him for a few seconds more, before he loses all connection with his chakra. Nonetheless, he knows that it's helping. Picking up the glass of water on the bedside table, he crushes a chakra pill and adds it to the drink. Then, he lifts Kakashi's head and forces the older man to drink.

Once the glass is half empty, Toru drinks the rest of the glass himself, and his chakra starts increasing at a rapid pace, rather than remaining dangerously low as it had been previously. A minute of thought, and then green chakra shrouds his hands. He runs his hands over Kakashi, and is glad to see that there are no injuries.

"Toru?" Naruto calls, and Toru turns to see the three genins hovering in the doorway. He rolls his eyes and motions them to come in. "You want us to give you a rundown of what happened?"

"Nah, Sakura-chan told me everything that matters," Toru responds. "The three of you have done well so far, and I am proud of you. Is Tazuna-san in the house?"

"Yes," Sasuke says, "He isn't dead yet. Unfortunately."

"Sasuke!" Both Toru and Sakura warn. Sasuke scowls but doesn't say anything else. "I'll set a basic ward perimeter around the building," Toru begins. "From there, we'll be escorting Tsunami-san and Tazuna-san if they leave their house. Tsunami-san is just as likely to be a target now."

"They also have a little boy," Naruto says, crossing his arms. "He's rude."

"Then you keep an eye on him as well," Toru replies. "We'll need to set up a basic guard shift for the night as well. Since we're here, we might as well work on your training as well. I'll try and gather some more information on Gatō and everything."

"You're training us?" Sasuke asks, glimmer of excitement in his eyes.

Toru grins. "Might as well, we'll step it up." A groan draws his attention away from the three genins and towards Kakashi, who is blinking blurrily. "Hatake-san," Toru calls, and the man shifts, looking up at him with a narrow-eyed glare. A memory of some sort dances in Toru's mind but he can't quite recall it. "I was sent by Konoha to give aid. I am Toru Uchiha. Your genins are with me currently and your client is within the house."

Kakashi grunts and moves so he's sitting upright. He surveys the room. "Momochi?" He asks. Before glancing at Toru, "Did you give me a chakra transfusion?"

"Momochi was apparently taken by a Kirigakure hunter-nin," Toru replies. "Do you not remember this? And yes, I did."

"I was hoping I was wrong," Kakashi says. "Hunter-nins don't take their targets."

Toru pauses, re-evaluates what he's heard, and frowns. "Very well. Then we need to prepare for an attack in the next few days. He will still have to recover like you do as well, but he will take longer to recover. There is also his unknown accomplice. Based on what I've been told, we can conclude that Momochi will be willing to leave the genins out of this, which is – I will admit – unlike what you'd think he would do."

"What?" Naruto questions loudly, looking between Toru and Kakashi. "What do you mean?"

"Momochi killed his entire graduating class for his test at the age of nine," Kakashi reveals. "Kirigakure stopped the practise as a result, but it's how he earned the name of 'demon'."

"But by knocking out Sakura-chan and not injuring either Sasuke or Naruto in their attack, it shows he's likely to be unwilling to hurt you, since you are largely seen as children due to your genin status – whether this is true or not," Toru adds. He meets the eyes of the three genins and holds their gazes. "Hatake-san has not taught you anything thus far, has he?"

Sasuke and Sakura immediately nod, Naruto copying them after half a moment. Toru nods and then turns around to look at Kakashi. "You three, leave," he states. "I need to talk to your _teacher_ about something."

"But–"

"Naruto," Sakura hisses, "not the time!" The trio quickly leave, closing the door behind them.

"So, you are Sasuke-kun's… family member," Kakashi says slowly, running an eye over Toru. "You don't look much alike."

Meeting Kakashi's gaze evenly, Toru unravels the bandages that hide his bicep and keep his sleeves from rising. He lifts the sleeve and shows his ANBU tattoo. "I have control over this mission now," he says, rewrapping the bandages with practised motions. "Whilst I do not have jurisdiction over your genins due to my status, I do have some jurisdiction due to my role as a caretaker for both Sasuke and Naruto. Explain why you have failed at teacher them anything. Now."

Kakashi offers Toru a smile. "They're not up for it just yet!"

"Try again."

Kakashi drops the smile and stares at Toru. He doesn't speak. Toru waits, but it's clear Kakashi isn't going to say anything. Briefly, Toru is reminded of staring down another person who was meant to help with teaching. The person in charge of the Ninja Academy was changed because Toru demanded that students be taught fairly. If Kakashi isn't willing to speak, that's fine. Toru's always been willing to stand for others.

"The three that I just sent out of this room are genins. They are students. They are petty and argumentative, stubborn and naïve. They have fought for themselves and for others. They have been fighting for years, even if it wasn't the kind of fighting prodigies did when they were twelve and eleven and ten. Sakura-chan fought against her civilian-born status and made herself into something, she carved potential into her very skin and made people see her. Naruto fought against hatred and anger and found kindness and love engraved into his bones, he weathered corruption and sabotage and still laughs and smiles at everyone he sees. Sasuke found his whole family dead and remembers blood-stained walls and corpses everywhere so clearly that he still wakes up every month and thinks he's a child again; he has fought his own mind every day to get where he is now.

"They are young and they may be children, but they are genins and they are ninjas. They are students who would have been willing to learn if they had just been given the time. Instead you have belittled them and left them to train by themselves. You might not want this time, Hatake, but you are stuck with them. At this rate, you are going to get them all killed. Those ninjas fought for you against Zabuza and might have saved your damn life, and you should be willing to teach them for that alone! You shouldn't have to wait for them to prove themselves to you. You should be willing to teach them regardless because they are your students.

"Genin teams are meant to be teams, and that includes the jōnin teacher. I don't care if your genin team was ruined by whatever; I don't care if you were a ninja built and sharpened by war. You are not going to kill those kids with your own regrets and grievances. You have nothing to take out on those kids. If you have a problem, deal with it in an adult and mature manner and grow the fuck up. You sure as hell don't deserve those kids and they deserve better than you. But you know what? There's nothing that can be done about this now, so either square up or I will start changing things by myself. Either way, at this rate, you are going to lose your team."

Glaring at Kakashi, Toru waits for a response, but all the older man does is tilt his head. "Do you speak to all your friends like that?"

Toru grins, baring his teeth, "I don't think you want to cross me, Hatake."

"No," Kakashi counters, chakra flaring as he stares Toru down. "I don't think you want to cross me."

Toru laughs, _(laughs because he can do nothing else when he's staring down a man who is willing to lead three genins to their deaths),_ the killing intent from Kakashi sliding off him, _(he is an Uzukage, an ANBU Commander)_. "I'll see you in front of the Hokage then," he states, plain and simple. Opening the door, he leaves. The three genins are sitting on the wall opposite and had clearly heard everything. "Didn't expect anything otherwise," Toru remarks softly. "C'mon, kiddos, we've got work to get done."

* * *

After being in Nami no Kuni for a day, Toru feels comfortable leaving the kids to watch of Tazuna. He's fairly certain nothing will happen, and even Kakashi is at the bridge. He hasn't said anything to Toru, and Toru doesn't care. He has nothing to say to the jōnin anyway.

At the docks, he pauses in the shadow cast by a moored boat. Despite the lack of trade, the docks are still busy, with people moving boxes and fishing nets and all sorts of things. However, Toru's attention isn't watching any of the shipping business, he's focussing on the people. Tazuna had said that Gatō's hold over the nation was still relatively new, which leaves Toru hopeful.

One of the people carrying boxes takes a break, sitting near Toru on a crate. Glancing at them, Toru can make out a scar travelling from the girl's ear to her jaw. But what really catches his attention is the hint of a dragon tattoo – a dragon head peeking out of the shirt and fire wrapping around the girl's neck. Standing up, Toru checks over his clothes. He's in his ninja clothing, but has dressed so he doesn't look like a ninja, and has a henge to hide his features, but there's still the worry he will give something away. He doesn't quite know if this is one of his people, but he's hopeful.

He walks over, the girl glowers up at him, but there's a careful step of space between them, so he isn't looming over her in any way. "Do you know Ryuu?" He asks softly, and her face visibly shifts.

"Yeah," she says cautiously. "I know of a Ryuu. Might not be the same person, though."

"True," Toru agrees. "But how many Ryuu's do you know that have their own Kakumau, which makes this meeting pretty ironic, doesn't it?"

The girl smiles, corner of her lips lifting upwards. "I'm Chō. I've been working on the ships for a few years."

"I'm Ryuu," Toru replies. "I want to get rid of Gatō, but I need a bit of help. You in?"

She's quick to hide her surprise. "What do you want me to help with?"

"Information," he says. "Who is Gatō and what he's done, that kind of thing."

"He's the founder and owner of Gatō Company," Chō begins. "It's known for being an import and export shipping company." She lowers her voice as she continues, "The company acts as a front for smuggling contraband and trafficking drugs. Anything that gets in his way quickly isn't. They either die or simply withdraw from society – bet you it has to do about blackmail. Most people he employs are mercenaries, but he has a few ninjas to back him up. This island's been used to grow plants for the drugs, and he's taken people from their homes across the nation to work for him. I don't know where he lives or where the people have gone."

"That's okay," Toru says. "You've gotten enough information for me. In your opinion, do we take him down or leave him be?"

"Take him down," Chō replies. "He isn't like the Underground in any way. Also, I can try to get those locations for you. If you want."

"I'd appreciate it, but don't put yourself in danger," Toru replies. "I can meet you here, same time tomorrow. Does that work?" The eighteen-year-old nods, and looks away when she's called.

Getting up, she says, "I have to go now, but I'll get that information for you."

"Stay strong and stay safe," Toru bids. The girl nods and turns away, heading to go grab another box and load the ship. Meanwhile, Toru heads back towards where the bridge is being built, body language shifting and henge dropping away. The bridge is easy to find, following sounds of construction. Pausing before the bridge, Toru searches for the genins and Kakashi.

It's easy to find Kakashi, the jōnin lounging on the railing of the bridge, seemingly reading. However, Toru caught the quick glance in his direction; Kakashi is more aware than he looks. Meanwhile, the three genins are running on the water, half-playing with each other and half-sparring.

Something like relief, but isn't relief, rushes through Toru's veins. _He _hadn't told the genins to try water walking, which means that Kakashi is – at the very least – attempting to teach them.

"So much for aloof," Toru mutters under his breath, continuing to watch the trio of genins. They're clearly enjoying themselves, but they also look like they're starting to get bored and tired, but refuse to stop, _(Kakashi is trying and his genins are trying and it's a start)_.

Sparing half a moment to wonder what galvanised Kakashi to action, Toru quickly shakes off the thought and leaps onto the water. A minuscule movement is all Toru notices from Kakashi, but it's enough to make him smile since it's clearly a sign that Kakashi is watching his genins in case of danger. Ignoring the older ninja, the Uchiha increases his speed and reaches Sasuke just as the younger boy notices him. A careful application of chakra has Toru skating along the water to slide to a stop before Sasuke, who's arms windmill as he loses his balance. Toru does nothing as Sasuke falls into the water, resurfacing with a splutter seconds later.

"You know full well that you have limits," Toru says as he grips Sasuke by the back of his collar and pulls him out of the water. "So watch them to make sure you're not going to hurt yourself _especially_ on a mission."

Sasuke nods sullenly, but heads towards the shore with chattering teeth. In a flurry of leaves, Kakashi meets him there. Sakura, having seen some of what happened, is following Sasuke hesitantly towards the shore.

"Do you know why you're stopping?" Toru calls to the girl, who pauses, turning to look at him.

"Because you probably told Sasuke to take a break meaning we all need a break?"

"Not quite," Toru replies. "With your current chakra levels, what do you think would happen in half an hour or so?"

Closing her eyes, Sakura turns her attention inward with a frown. She wavers in the surface before her eyes snap open. "Oh," she says simply, sheepishly. "I understand. I didn't think to even check."

"Don't make the same mistake twice," Toru says, and Sakura continues to the shore. Toru turns, spotting Naruto and making his towards the younger boy.

Smoothly moving across the water's surface_ (and waiting for waves and swells that don't occur)_, Toru slows to a stop behind Naruto. Toru had been noticed, but had also been categorised as safe and thus is ignored by Naruto. Making a mental note to work on the issue in the future, _(because someone can hide as someone else, someone you think and consider as safe, and if you're not careful it will lead to your death)_, Toru sweeps Naruto's feet from out under him. With a yelp, the blonde falls into the water, head emerging with a startled gasp.

"You can't afford to zone out completely," Toru says warningly. "And remember, you have limits and you can't work yourself so hard it'll become a hassle whilst you're on mission. Can you recall what happened to your teacher?"

Splashing, Naruto nods, so Toru helps him out of the water; glancing over his shoulder at the distant shore, Toru crouches. Quickly understanding, Naruto clambers onto Toru's back. Whilst Naruto can use chakra and would be able to rapidly make his way across the water, it would be even faster with Toru not having to keep pace with Naruto.

The chill of the water is hard to ignore, but a careful increase of Toru's body temperature through fire chakra enables him to stay warm and even dry the parts of his clothing where water had made it damp. He reaches the shore quickly, and stops by the other two genins and Kakashi. Slipping off his back, Naruto scrambles to his friends. Slower, Toru ambles over to join the group.

"Lunch time, I think," Kakashi says cheerfully, leading the way to a small patch of clear ground where the group was out of the way of the builders and the genins had left their packs earlier. Naruto cheered and picked up his pack, quickly starting to go through it. The other two genins are quick to repeat his actions.

Humming in agreement, Toru picks up the shunshin-quick flicker of Kakashi's lone eye. With a hand on his right shoulder, he unseals a ration bar and walks over so he's standing next to the older shinobi. The trio of genins are laughing and talking, undoubtedly poking fun at each other for some reason or another and Toru can't help but smile, _(and greatly appreciate the fact he's alive and able to smile and has a family that he loves and loves him)_.

However, beside Kakashi there isn't such a light atmosphere. Willing to wait, Toru chews his ration bar and wishes that it they aren't bland. He's vaguely aware that there had been an attempt to make ration bars taste nice,_ (in another life)_, but it had come at the cost of nutritional value so the project had been dropped.

"Why did you stop them?" Kakashi finally asks, straight forward with a hint of accusation in his voice. Toru wonders what the man is thinking, whether he thinks that Toru stopped the training because he didn't trust Kakashi. There's no obvious sign of what Kakashi is thinking, face far too well hidden to give any of Kakashi's possible turmoil away.

"They were reaching their limits," Toru responds. "They are new, still largely inexperienced. They are still learning to listen to their bodies rather than pushing through - especially on a mission out of the village."

Kakashi nods; a simple motion that seems off, even if Toru can't quite understand why. "Do you have a plan for the mission?"

Eying Kakashi because you shouldn't talk about missions out in the open, Toru debates whether Kakashi is testing him. "Give me a day to gather information. Ask me again then."

* * *

The sun sets and darkness slips over the island, the massive bridge that's half-built becomes reduced to a mass of quiet shadows as workers return to their houses. By the edge of the trees, Toru watches the orange-red, fire-like horizon dim and disappear. A sigh breaks the silence, a disguised whisper of wind, and it's easy to slip on the jackal mask, _(it is not easy to think of what is to come but that will be dealt with later)_.

A slip of a curtain, a simple acknowledgement, and then the face leaves the window, Kakashi turning to those inside. Jakkaru breathes, silent, impassive. Shoulders rise and drop and around him the world continues on its path.

Holding an image of a seal in his mind, Jakkaru lays it down with a flare of chakra and a life-old memory. The seal hums, a steady pulse in Jakkaru's ears and it seems like a heartbeat,_ (and it reminds him of another heartbeat in another life and an island beneath his feet that had been alive, once)._ Satisfied that the seal is indeed working, Jakkaru checks his weapons once again before calling on a henge.

From the information he's gathered - through Kakumau and his summons, he's got a plan in mind to take down Gatō and his shipping industry. There are about thirty mercenaries, who work in groups of about eight. There are a total of four watch groups. Jakkaru plans to take out the mercenaries not on watch before moving to the ones on patrol, and then Gatō. After that, he'll take care of the drug plants.

Rather than living in any town on the island, Gatō has his own private port connected to land that he's claimed - although, whether he actually owns the land is unknown. This makes life slightly easier for Jakkaru as he doesn't have to worry too much about those who aren't his targets. There is meant to be a trafficking scheme that Gatō's involved in, meaning there are civilians somewhere on the property but… Jakkaru's mission comes first, _(sometimes mercy is an option but sometimes it isn't)_.

In the main house where Gatō lives there's only one room containing guards, but there is a nearby separate house, which is where the mercenaries are staying when they aren't in patrol. Thankfully, the ninjas don't live in the premise, meaning Jakkaru should be able to avoid them.

It's easy,_ (it's never easy)_, to take down the first sixteen mercenaries as they sleep. Jakkaru's assassination expertise, _(expertise that isn't just due to memories of past missions but also because sometimes one makes their talents and sometimes spilling blood is what makes one valuable)_, and assassination jutsu enables him to take them out silently. Within the hour, over half of Gatō's force is dead in bed. Knowing his chakra is getting low, Jakkaru changes tactics upon reaching the last room of sleeping mercenaries.

Kunai in each hand, in a lightning-quick motion, Jakkaru kills two mercenaries, but it isn't a quiet nor a peaceful death. The others wake up, shouting and loud, going for weapons. They try, but against Jakkaru,_ (Konoha ANBU, Uzushio ANBU, machine, death, weapon)_, who is faster than they can hope to be, they are quick to die and quicker to lose.

Knowing full well he needs to move quickly, Jakkaru gathers his kunais, ignoring the blood dripping from them and the cooling bodies around him, he leaves the house. Thankfully, it appears the noise didn't gather any unwanted attention, enabling Jakkaru to catch one patrolling pair off guard.

Jakkaru is left only with his mind to figure out where the other six mercenaries are. He assumes that there are two patrolling the main building and another two guarding Gatō's room, based on how paranoid the businessman apparently is. However, that leaves two mercenaries to find.

At his feet, a radio crackles. "All quiet at the fields still. Will report again in two hours."

Beneath his mask, Jakkaru grins. This time, luck seems to be in his favour rather than against him. Chakra surges through his body as he sprints towards the building. Gatō is a civilian through and through, and it really shows in the layout of the building. After all, glass windows would never stop a small child, let alone a trained ninja.

A kunai shatters the glass and stabs deep into one of the patrolling men's shoulder. Following it, Jakkaru leaps through the window, rolls, and comes up with his katana in hand. The uninjured man is dead within seconds, his fellow mercenary is quick to follow him. Before the bodies even collapse on the floor, Jakkaru is already turning to face the next two men attacking. He seems to have chances upon the location of Gatō's bedroom.

The mercenaries all died deceptively easy. For all the pain and terror and hardship Gatō has caused, the man is extremely short and doesn't wake despite the noise outside his bedroom. Underwhelming is an adjective that suits the man well. A sliced jugular vein is a simpler death than the man probably deserves, _(but deciding how someone dies or whether they should be tortured isn't a decision for Jakkaru to make; besides, if there is no need for torture Jakkaru doesn't wish it on anyone, a quick death is best for everyone)._

It's a few minutes run to the fields full of plants that either form drugs themselves or can be synthesised into forming drugs. Like Jakkaru had thought, the two missing mercenaries are at the fields. It's an easy takedown.

* * *

Carefully hidden in the tops of a tree, _(because no one ever looks up but looks down and around and in the water)_, Haku watches the jackal-masked ANBU as they stare out over a field of plants now on fire. There seems to be a barrier of some sort stopping the surroundings from catching on fire. As Haku continues to watch, still concealed, the ninja twists, eyes coming to settle on Haku. Breath catching in his throat, Haku reminds himself that this unknown ninja hadn't found him earlier and still probably doesn't know where Haku is.

Nevertheless, the blood-splattered ninja seems to stare right at Haku, eyes seeing into Haku rather than seeing him. It cuts him down to the bone, like frost on warm skin or a sword sharpened with chakra. A beat of a heart later, and the LEAF – Konoha ANBU – is turning, moving away from Haku.

Touching his senbon briefly to reassure himself, Haku leaps out of the tree, landing on the ground snow-silent. Even with the LEAF running in the opposite direction, Haku restrains himself from using any chakra. Zabuza is easy to find, not having moved much since Haku had left. However, the older man had moved off of the bed and was now sharpening his sword.

"Zabuza-sama," Haku says, embedding disapproval in his tone. "You're meant to be resting."

"I am," Zabuza responds, looking up. "Do I look to be not resting?"

Withholding a sigh, Haku doesn't respond. "I saw a LEAF near Gatō's," he reports. "He was burning Gatō's fields – I expect that they had already been to Gatō's main building as well, but I was unsure whether or not they had a team."

Zabuza grunts and puts his sword down, gaze meeting Haku's evenly. "Anyone from the bingo book?"

"Not from ours, Zabuza-sama," Haku replies. "They had a jackal mask." Clearly pausing, Zabuza stands up with a grunt, slinging his sword over his back. "Zabuza-sama?" Haku questions.

"We're going," Zabuza returns, _(he remembers stories of a lost village, of an Uzukage who killed and killed, of an ANBU who held back an entire fleet, of a bloodthirsty jackal-masked Uzushiogakure ANBU; maybe the jackal of Uzushio had fallen, maybe this is someone else, but-). _"We've got other places to be now that our employer is dead."

"He might not be," Haku says. Zabuza only gives him a look, and Haku admits, "But it is likely."

_(Haku had said one of the opposing genins was an Uzumaki, and maybe the jackal-masked LEAF is just a coincidence. Zabuza doesn't believe in ghosts, but still – Konoha would send a strong LEAF regardless, if there is no need to fight, Zabuza will avoid it. He has other places he can go; Haku too.)_

"Come," Zabuza responds. "I am ready to leave this island." Standing at Zabuza's side, Haku nods, bag hefted over his shoulder. Together, the pair leave.

* * *

Coming down from being ANBU whilst still on mission is much more difficult than Toru anticipated. It's been a few hours since he had taken care of Gatō, but there's still something thrumming beneath his skin and an itch in his muscles. He's still on high alert, even though his seals are working perfectly and there's very little chance of anything happening.

Another quick patrol of the perimeters, and Toru finally enters the house through Kakashi's open window. The jōnin had clearly already seen him, but Toru hadn't been trying to hide.

"Did you encounter any issues?"

"No," Toru replies. "Gatō has been taken care of, and I've sealed the records and so forth for Konoha. No sign of Zabuza and his partner either."

Kakashi nods. "The bridge is nearing completion, so we will wait the rest of the building. We still need to speak to Tazuna-san about the falsified mission ranking and the outcome of that." Pausing, he adds, "You might want to think about getting changed."

The blood splatter has grown dry and gross on his ANBU gear, and Toru grimaces. He'll have to take care of it when he gets back to Konoha, as there are no supplies on him as his mission was meant to be an easy one. By the time he's finished, Kakashi has already left to go downstairs.

Tilting his head, Toru listens for the sounds of genins. From the sleepy murmurs he can hear, it sounds like they're all still in their bedroom, half-asleep and on the verge of waking up. Padding into the genins' room, Toru waits in the door for one moment, and then another. When the genins still don't wake up, the chūnin focusses on his chakra, _(draw on your chakra slowly, remember to search for the water chakra, pull on it gently, gently, and ask it – do not demand of it, and pull it up, let it sit on your fingers, resting on your palm, and there you go),_ a quick flicker of an old _(Uzushio)_ memory playing in his mind. When he stops pulling on his chakra, a handful of water rests on his palm, his chakra containing it and keeping it from going everywhere.

A half-smile on his face, Toru throws the water, a flick of his wrist to spread the water so it lands on all three genins. The genins awake with loud noises of complaint, and Toru leaves with a laugh.

_(It might not be easy to revert from ANBU to normal chūnin, but with a reminder of who he is and his human nature, it's slightly easier.)_

* * *

**Missions go wrong, but sometimes there's a family-orientated ANBU nearby to lend a helping hand (or kunai). Kakashi learns that doing his best to ignore his team will not work out well, and is reminded that sometimes it is worth it to try. Toru (Jakkaru) finds his information network to be much further reaching than he ever thought. With the knowledge he gains, Gatō and his enterprise is ruined. Team Kakashi remains safe and out of harm, all four members learning from one another and from themselves. Toru watches over them all, willing to help and not waiting to be asked. **

* * *

_**This is the last chapter of more-or-less daily updating, and now I'm returning to a twice a month update schedule.**_

**_I... don't know what to write for the note. This chapter did take quite a bit of effort. I'm not entirely happy with how it got towards the ending - I think it became much more stilted with Jakkaru's section? _**

**_ALSO, AS A SIDENOTE, HAKU IS BIGENDER. It didn't show up here, unfortunately, but I want to make people aware of what Haku's gender is here. I'm hoping I'll do an interlude later with characters that appeared and then disappeared, especially because you guys don't know what Zabuza and Haku are now up to. _**

**_Anyway, onto the actual chapter, I suppose. I still don't know what to write, I don't think I have much to say. Or maybe my head just isn't working. I blame not getting the kind of sleep I want (like eight or nine hours would be Perfect) in the past week. Toru did his best to talk sense into Kakashi because he cares so deeply, and he brushed the genins' off initially, but they were right and he was wrong and he made a mistake and he hates that they could've died and he would've been able to do something, but didn't. Thankfully, it seems like his message got through to Kakashi - somehow - but I can definitely confirm we will be seeing some more Kakashi and Toru interaction in the future (especially as Toru is an ANBU and Kakashi knows and has Opinions), because Toru is planning to keep a close eye on the genins. _**

**_Kakumau - those street kids - comes up here, and you can really see some of the ninja aspects of the group. It's largely to help, but also Toru is definitely using it to his advantage as well. He's a ninja, remember? Also, favours and debts are a huge thing. _**

**_Jakkaru was dangerous because he couldn't afford to be anything else. So far, a lot of what we've seen of Jakkaru is his mercy and that he can be kind, but he's also quite dangerous and willing to kill for others. We've seen this come up once or twice, especially back in Sea Dreams where Jakkaru relived his memories, but here he killed 32 people who couldn't fight back along with Gato. It was a very short writing for it, but I think I'll be writing the aftermath better (I hope so). _**

**_Also Zabuza's thoughts on Jakkaru? He's born in Kirigakure, he's not going to have heard nice things about Jakkaru. They'd have completely different perspectives, it's also why Haku uses certain comparison - because of how he was brought up. I had fun playing around with that. You can see his upbringing in phrases like 'frost on warm skin' and 'looks ... in the water' and 'snow-silent' and 'sword sharpened with chakra'. Thanks for reading guys, I'll do my best to write a good next chapter! It's likely to be a filler (or the next two may be fillers), before we get into the Chunin Arc._**


	6. Succor

Sasuke enters the kitchen to Kakashi and Toru having a quiet conversation. The pair don't pause their conversation, Toru giving him a small wave, not really focussing on the pair, Sasuke heads towards the cabinet that holds the plates. Pulling three out on the basis that the older ninjas have already eaten, he starts putting food down on the plates.

It's been strange for Sasuke, these past few days – probably the same for Naruto, as well. After all, he's used to seeing Toru when he's not a mission, and to see the Uchiha on a mission… He's reminded that the older Uchiha is in fact a chūnin, and one that goes on missions frequently. Although he's not entirely sure what Toru's been doing recently, rarely seeing him despite knowing that the chūnin is around has been strange. Especially since Toru hasn't acted entirely like the Toru Sasuke knows.

Where Sasuke can normally count on Toru for support, the chūnin is quick to respond to anything that could be danger. There's something twisted around Toru's bones, something that chains him to danger. It's not directed at Sasuke, and he doubts it ever would be, but it exists. He's seen Toru this way a few times – on bad days, coming down after a mission.

Swallowing, Sasuke reminds himself that Toru has every reason to be on edge during a mission, especially based on past experiences. A hand ruffles his hair, and it's easy for Sasuke to tilt his head backwards, looking up with a scowl. From above, Toru grins down unrepentantly, and Sasuke recalls that even on a mission, Toru cannot be harsh, because gentleness is scrawled into his bones, along with a thousand other words that can never hope to describe the Uchiha.

"New plan for today, kiddos," Toru says easily as Naruto and Sakura enter the room, the former still rubbing sleep from his eyes despite having been sprayed with water earlier.

Immediately, Naruto perks up, bouncing on his toes, and Sasuke sighs. "What is it? What is it? What're we doing? Are we gonna go battle bad guys?"

"Learn how to breathe?" Sakura adds dryly, causing Naruto to shoot her a wounded expression.

"Not quite," Kakashi responds, _(Sasuke is still unsure about his teacher, but Toru is here and Kakashi is maybe trying, so Sasuke will listen, although he's going to complain regardless; he still doesn't like him). _"Gatō has been taken care of now and so have his belongings. However, there have been rumours of human trafficking, we've been given a hint about it all, so we're going to go see if we can find anyone."

"Are we leaving Tazuna-san unguarded?" Sakura asks, eyes flicking between the two older ninjas.

"Our summons will be keeping watch, but it's unlikely there will be any attacks," Toru says. "Gatō has been taken care of."

Sasuke pauses in eating, exchanging looks with his teammates. He can see curiosity on Sakura's face, Naruto appears a half-step away from being confused, _(and he wants to know but also doesn't want to know; any similarities between Toru and ItAChI should be ignored). _A second later, and he resumes eating, focus falling back onto his plate.

"How so?" Sakura asks, voice unable to hide her curiosity and also her hesitancy.

"I took them out," Toru says, voice bland and face impenetrable. Impenetrable, but a furrow of an eyebrow, a twist of a mouth, and Sasuke knows Toru is worried, fearful of the thoughts of his teammates. Connecting his gaze with Toru's, Sasuke doesn't bother to hide anything, letting Toru read him, letting Toru know that everything's alright. After all, they're both ninjas.

"Did you tell Tazuna?" Sasuke asks, not bothering to keep the derision out of his tone at the thought of the old man. Getting up, he starts washing his plate, knowing full-well that soon Tsunami will come downstairs and try to do all the washing up herself.

"He doesn't quite believe us, but yes, I have," Toru answers. "Now, are you three ready to go?"

Leaving his plate to dry with the others, Sasuke nods, adjusting his weapon pouch. His teammates stand beside him, and Kakashi nods. "Sasuke-kun, you're taking sweep position with me and we'll be talking about tracking. Toru-san has point. Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun, Toru-san will be testing your knowledge on various topics. And remember, if we say something, you listen to us."

"Hai!"

* * *

The ash sits in an empty field. Black and thick, laying heavy on the ground. The wind still smells like smoke, and even now, hours later, Toru can see embers glowing darkly, dying. Despite the silence of the field, the lack of birds and animals, grass grows green around the edges of the field, the trees rustle nearby in the wind. The juxtaposition between the dead and living has never been clearer, _(and for a few moments, all he can think of is Uzushio with smoke on the wind and ash falling around him, the death surrounding him, the dying screaming, the injured continuing because the only other option is to die, the massacre that left blood behind and the pounding of his heart in his ears; Uzushio died, but she did not die peacefully, but she did die alone and hurting). _

Kakashi glances at him, lightning-quick, and almost hidden. "Seals and fire," Toru says, acting as if he's explaining to the genins. The hum from Kakashi proves that Toru hasn't fooled him, _(but Toru's fooling everyone about the important things, despite how much it hurts him, so such a small thing like this really doesn't matter). _Pointing eastward, toward the broken-down cottages, he states, "We should check over there."

"What… What should we expect?" Naruto asks.

Toru leaves that question for Kakashi to answer, deciding it can be a learning experience for both parties. Approaching the buildings, he can already hear quiet mutterings. He's fairly certain that normally these people would already have been put to work, and are probably wondering why they haven't been.

"Sakura-chan," Toru calls quietly, the girl looks up at him. "Do you have your healing supplies?"

A worried expression crosses the genin's face, but she nods steadily. "Yes. If we need them, I can have them ready quickly."

Checking over the other two genins, Toru can see that they're worried, afraid of what they may see. It will be harsh, it will forcefully remove them from their naïve worlds, and it's likely they will understand trauma from a new perspective, have more nightmares of their own. But this is growing up as a ninja, and cannot be avoided. This world is harsh and it cannot afford to be otherwise. The best they can do is keep their eyes open and wide.

The door opens with a creak and wood groans beneath Toru's light steps as he steps off the porch and onto hard dirt, _(no matter how often he sees people chained and ruined, lives drained from them, their worlds destroyed and empty, it still tugs on him, pulls on him, because their world is terrible and he is trying his best and yet there are still people being used as slaves). _Burying anger in a heart that knows rage and anger far too well, Toru meets the eyes of these captured people. There are no platitudes to be offered here, he can give nothing because these people are too distrustful, _(with reason),_ to take any of the hope he symbolises.

Maybe he's too jaded, but maybe he's just realistic, _(he's a remnant of a village torn to shreds and lost to the world; he's owed this)_, because Naruto enters, blue eyes bright, blonde hair bright, smile big and hard – not faltering, but something strewn in hope; it's hard because hope is hard sometimes.

"You're going to be okay," he says, and there's nothing about him that says he's lying, nothing about that suggests he's being untruthful. Naruto fully believes in what he's saying; he isn't saying it to help them, but because he assumes it will be the truth, he assumes that everything will be alright now, _(even as he is, Toru can't break that trust, can't destroy that nativity, can't bear himself to even consider the idea really)_. "We're going to get you out of here and you guys can go home."

A ragged cheer, because these people believe in Naruto, still can be hopeful. A quick look at Kakashi tells Toru that the older man is just as surprised as he is. Fixing a smile to his face, Toru drops down by the first person. "Give me a quick second," he says, pulling out a kunai. Sparing a half-second to send wind chakra down to the kunai, he then slices through the chains.

Lifting her arms, the woman looks him in the eyes. "Thank you," she says, even as she studies the cuffs around her wrists. "Thank you."

It's easy to let his eyes soften, to feel the warm beat of his heart. "We'll get you out of here," he promises. "Sasuke!" The boy quickly appears at his side, eyes a bit wide, a bit wild, but he's focussing. "Tell Naruto to start unpicking cuffs of whoever Kakashi-san releases, you'll do the same for me. Also, get Sakura-chan to see who's the most medical aid. Okay?"

"Yes," Sasuke replies, before glancing at the woman in front of him. "You're going to be okay," he says, echoing Naruto's words, but there's something certain there, not just blind faith and hope, but something much steadier.

"I know," the woman says, eyes glistening. "Thank you." Nodding his head, Sasuke goes to find his teammates and explain the plan. Meanwhile, Toru cuts through the next set of chains.

"You can go wait outside, if you'd prefer," he says, but the woman shakes her head, sitting down more comfortably instead.

"We'll wait for everyone first," she says decisively. She stares at him, like she's daring him to question her, but he offers her no words in return. He understands. Sometimes responsibility comes from leading people, sometimes it comes from being part of something terrible that you feel like caring still, that your heart becomes partially owned by those who suffer with you.

Toru moves on. There are more chains to cut, more people to care for. There's a ruined world for these people to explore, to mend themselves. These people have a chance to live again, to smile and laugh, to feel the sun, to live lives of their own rather than forced to do something they don't want to.

It's enough.

_(It has to be enough; they will make it enough.)_

* * *

Masuyo comes to Tomoe with a letter in hand, _(they're alive, they're alive, they're alive). _Glancing once around her, Tomoe takes the letter from Masuyo silently. Before opening it, she asks, "Is this from Ryuu?" Masuyo nods.

The letter is easy to open, only folded paper. The words scrawl across the letter, each letter carefully written, a slight slant to each word, the ends of each letter curling. It's neat, as Ryuu's letters always are; she doesn't tend to ruminate on why, _(she knows why; it's because Ryuu is always trying to do better and help them, even when he never mentions it). _

Once she's finished reading the letter, she passes it over to Masuyo, still open, an invitation. Masuyo reads the letter, faster than Tomoe, but still not as fast as someone who'd been reading all their life. "Huh," Masuyo says, a tone of interest in her voice. "I suppose it makes sense sending this letter to you, you're pretty much in control of Kakumau since Ryuu's so busy."

Clicking her tongue, Tomoe is hard pressed to disagree. She is fully aware that she may have the most control over Kakumau, second only to Ryuu. Still, those in Kakumau answer to Ryuu not her, their loyalty is to Ryuu. She's just a casual link to him. "He hasn't quite given us orders."

"No, he hasn't," Masuyo agrees, and that's all there is to it. Tomoe can't bring herself to be surprised. Ryuu never really gives orders, he asks, tells them to think about things, but he places emphasis on them having a choice. It's more than they've ever been given, _(more than some of them really deserve),_ but he gives it without getting anything in return. If Ryuu ordered, perhaps she would consider not doing it, but with him only asking, she wants to do it.

_(What more can you give, but loyalty, to the person who pulled you out of the gutter and into the world and continued to care for you? What more can you want but to matter? They would give Ryuu the world, even they thought he would want it. It would probably be better if Ryuu did have the world, but he doesn't; and yet, he is their world). _

The letter picks at her mind, thoughts echo, clamber, trying to figure out what to do. Regardless of her questioning, Tomoe flicks open the lighter and watches the letter burn. "What do you think we should do?"

Masuyo sends her a look, which she doesn't think she honestly deserves, but deigns to respond anyway. "I think it's your decision, _but_ Gatō is a name that's fairly well known in our, well, community. He does have quite a bit of power, although it doesn't touch us so much in Konoha. However, numerous other small towns around Hi no Kuni have been targeted. But… Ryuu doesn't just want us to deal with the power gap, which will be a problem all of its own."

"Consider, though," Raiden calls from somewhere nearby, having managed to figure out what the duo are discussing, "that rather than putting something to fill the power gap, we prove ourselves as already having that power and undermining Gatō's rule for some time?"

"Make it seem like we send the ninja to destroy it," Masuyo murmurs.

Staring at the ash pile on the ground, Tomoe hums in thought. It's a nice idea, one that gives them power that they have, but keeps Ryuu's identity hidden. "By making it seem like we have issues with Gatō it presents a reason for why we're doing what we do."

"And what are we doing?"

"What Ryuu wants," Tomoe says, a plan slowly gathering pieces and form. "We take in the people who are left in the dark due to Gatō's fall, those who didn't have a choice to work for him. We lend aid to those who are left wounded and hurt, although we'll need Ryuu's help because that's his funds and supplies we'd be using. Then, we start ruining this human trafficking business, find those taken and help them return home. In doing all that, we reveal our power and our sources. We also present ourselves as a 'good' force. We've dealt with our problems in Konoha, now it's time we put pressure elsewhere."

"There's Gatō's business to consider," Masuyo reminds her. "Although, Konoha will deal with most of that themselves."

"We take some of the business on board," Raiden says slowly. "After all, we can use his connections to shut down undesirable parts of the Underground or monitor sections."

"But what part of Gatō's business?" Tomoe asks. "And who?"

"Doesn't matter," Raiden says with a shrug. "Take it all and change it, bring it back to being about trade through our people. Give them jobs, get them lives, get them out of the gutters and off the streets, give them _homes_. And with running it… Honestly, you could get Katsuo from Unmei no Ken'o-sha, but you probably want someone you can be certain you can trust and isn't leading any of the gangs."

"Do you think age matters?" Tomoe says, as she starts going through the people she knows. "We can probably manage to hide ages for a bit, surely. Especially if we work with Kakumau to develop it."

"Yeah, if you have enough people advocating for that person, essentially using Kakumau as you said, you could avoid the age problems," Masuyo responds.

"Perfect," Tomoe grins, clapping her hands together. Above her, the sky is blue, the shadows warm. "Masuyo, Raiden, how do you guys feel about leading a business?"

"We don't know anything to do with running a business," Raiden chokes out after a few seconds, Masuyo a shocked statue beside him.

"Talk to Ryuu about it," Tomoe says decisively. "If I can lead Kakumau and sort out all that, you two can figure out how to run a business. You have the people and the help, you just need to do the numbers."

_(Unnoticed and unknown by many, they will claw themselves up to matter. They know they matter now, believe it, know others believe it too. Now they just have to prove themselves worthy of it all.) _

* * *

They arrive back at the village with little fanfare, except-

Except.

They arrive back at the village with people who had gone missing, who had been assumed dead, who had been taken. There are families reuniting, and people smiling and crying with happiness, _(they are here, and alive, and there is nothing left to ask for)._

Naruto is moving between people, checking if anyone needs water and food, his teammates beside him. Now that they're back, they're no longer quite sure what they should be doing. Kakashi and Toru had been quick to disappear, probably to do patrols and checks, and although he's certain they are close, without any directions, Naruto feels quite lost.

He's giving one man a glass of water when Tazuna comes up to him and his teammates, Inari trailing behind him. "Thank you," Tazuna says with a deep bow. "For everything that you've done. You've helped my village, my island, so much. I can never repay this debt."

"We were glad to help," Naruto replies, unsure what else there is to say. "We hardly could have done anything else."

"You are heroes in all of our eyes," Tazuna adds, eyes glistening with moisture behind his glasses. "Thank you."

"We don't need another hero!" Inari shouts suddenly, startling those around him. He stomps forward, anger etched into his face and body language. "Heroes don't exist! You can never be a hero!"

Naruto reels back, confused and hurt, irritation sizzling in his stomach, tight and acidic. Swallowing everything back, Naruto retorts, "Heroes do exist! They help people!"

Inari snarls back. "You're just a liar! Heroes can't do anything! All they can do is lie!" With this final shout, Inari spins around and runs off. A tight grip around his wrist is all that stops Naruto from following.

"I apologise for him," Tazuna says in the quiet that follows. "These past few years have been… hard on him. You are heroes in our eyes, that's all you need to know. I should go find my grandson."

"What did I do?" Naruto mutters to his teammates.

"That wasn't you, Naruto-kun," Kakashi replies, surprising the three genins. "That was a little boy who was hurt and so struck out, so others could hurt too."

"It's not right," Sasuke says. "You don't get a right to hurt others, just because you're hurt."

"It's not," Kakashi agrees. "But people don't always do what's right."

"Isn't there anything we could do to help him?" Sakura asks, frustration clear in her voice. She already knows the answer, but asks the questions anyway. Kakashi shakes his head, and she just sighs. "Let's go see who else needs our help then."

Rocking his weight back on his heels, Kakashi wonders if he dealt with that conversation properly. He's… vaguely aware that some people don't find civilians easy to work with, especially those that have been hurt and strike out aimlessly. Nonetheless, he's also aware that hurting people will not simply stop hurting; the path to getting better, to taking control of your own life, it's something only you can do. Or something along those lines.

Toru stands next to him, but doesn't say anything. The ANBU-chūnin is very strange, but… But. "Do you have any thoughts on how to deal with Tazuna-san's breach of contract and falsifying mission rankings?"

"Normally, it would be simple to apply a tariff to those using the bridge, but those here are so poor they couldn't afford it," Kakashi replies quietly, having thought over the problem a few times. "Since there's no daimyo here, Konoha can technically claim the land as part of Hi no Kuni through asking the people to employ Konoha ninjas only and opening stronger trade routes coming through these ports."

"Except, with being so close to Mizu no Kuni, it becomes more dangerous to claim such territory," Toru counters. "However, that's minor considering Kiri is probably much more focussed on its internal politics. With tariffs on the bridge – could we organise it so those entering are paying taxes? With the addition of setting up this town to depend on Konoha ninjas and supplying trade to Konoha both as a port town and through normal trade routes."

"And through this town employing Konoha ninjas, their influence will extend to the other towns and thus increase Konoha's influence further," Kakashi says. "It's a good plan. Now you just need to get Tazuna-san to agree."

"I need to?" Toru asks. "Why don't we get the genins to do it? Frame it as a learning experience." Kakashi laughs, and it sounds like it's been surprised out of him; he's quick to stop, but it happened, _(and that's important, because for all that Toru sees Kakashi as a bad teacher – one who's now trying – he still sees Kakashi as a person, not necessarily a bad one, but one that hurts and struggles; it's always been one of Toru's faults – to see the good in someone, rather than focussing on anything else)_.

* * *

"Here, have some more," Tsunami says as she serves Sakura a second helping.

"Tsunami-san, I can't," Sakura replies, shaking her head. "You've definitely given me more than enough."

"I can," Naruto says cheerfully, leaning over the table to pick up Sakura's plate, now full with food once again. However, a pointed glance from Toru has the blonde-haired boy sighing, and splitting the serving into three – one for each genin. Tsunami muffles her laughter and places the pot back on the table.

Before silence can truly reign, Tazuna states, "Thank you, once again, for your help. Nami no Kuni is in your debt."

There's a shriek as Inari pushes his chair back, and a bang as it falls backwards. The table shudders, plates and bowls and glasses clattering as the boy slams his hands down on the table. "You're not heroes – none of you! Heroes don't exist! You don't deserve anyone's thanks!"

"Inari!" Tsunami shouts, eyebrows dipping down. The boy shoots one last glare at the ninjas before turning around and running off. Tsunami sighs. "I'm so sorry for him; this has all been hard on him."

Tazuna grunts and takes a long gulp of sake. "It's been hard on all of us," he grumps. "He just refuses to look at the world around him."

"He's a child!" Tsunami counters, aghast.

"He's a brat," Tazuna counters with a heavy sigh. "But we have all had troubles."

"Why… why is he like that?" Sakura asks in the silence that follows.

Sitting back in her seat, Tsunami carefully places her hands in her lap, eyes dropping downwards, _(grief is something that isn't so much as born in Toru's bones as forms part of Toru's bones; he knows grief intimately, and he can see it here too). _"Some time ago, Inari met a man called Kaiza," she begins slowly. "They… got along extremely well, to the point that Inari viewed Kaiza-san as a father figure. Kaiza-san was kind, gentle. He was a good man, held fast to his beliefs." A half-smile that quickly fades to grief and sorrow, and Tsunami continues, "We married, a year and a half after meeting each other. Kaiza-san become Inari's stepfather properly; Inari loved him, adored him in every way. Inari saw Kaiza-san as a role model. When Gatō came… Kaiza-san refused to let the people be subjected by him, and spoke out against Gatō, attempting to stop the businessman from controlling Nami no Kuni. Kaiza-san was executed in the village and Inari was scarred by the experience. Since then he's, well, you've seen how he is."

"So?" Sasuke says loudly, glancing at Toru, and then Naruto. "That's just one death."

"Pain is relative," Toru interjects smoothly, just stopping Tsunami from responding. "What we've experience, Sasuke, is different and personal to us, but – death hurts regardless. One family member, one entire clan – yes, there is more death, but it will always hurt. Pain is relative, subjective. We're stronger for what we've experienced, but a single death will still hurt us."

Frowning, Sasuke continues to eat slowly. A glance at Toru shows that the older Uchiha is still watching him. Not bothering to hide his grimace, Sasuke places his chopsticks down, the movement harsh and jerky; except, he's not sure who he's angry at, _(Toru for expecting him to do this or himself for 'just one death' as if he, himself, wouldn't fall and shatter if Toru dies). _"I… apologise," he murmurs, "for my words and the harm they have caused. I spoke without thinking."

A sad smile on Tsunami's face and the woman says, "That's okay. You're still young."

Whilst hiding a grimace, Sasuke nods and picks his chopsticks up again. He knows being young is no excuse, because age is just a number – experience is something else entirely. He knows better, and is better. Sometimes it seems mistakes just occur, words falling out of his mouth twisted by his tongue and brain, speaking without thinking – not something Sasuke has normally been accused of; and yet, it seems to be a flaw of his.

"Where would Inari-kun go?" Toru asks, as he stands up, picking up Inari's half-finished plate. "After all, I'm sure he's still hungry."

Tazuna peers over the top of his glasses at Toru. "He would be upstairs, in his room. Be kind to him."

Nodding, like such a thing is expected, _(like such a thing is normal even though kindness is rare in their world, that being gentle is usually trained out of them whilst they're still toddlers – they are, after all, ninjas),_ Toru heads towards Inari's room. After knocking on the door, he enters regardless of Inari's response. The kid's sitting by the window, alone, shoulders hunched and he looks – forlorn, alone. Lonely, even if he refused to admit it, afraid of everything that has happened and everything that could happen.

"Are you here to yell at me too?" Inari asks, twisting to show Toru the scornful expression on his face. "To shout about how heroes exist?"

"Not quite, I'm here because you skipped out on half your dinner," Toru counters softly. "I'm guessing Naruto shouted at you?" Catching the confusion on Inari's face, he hastens to add, "The blonde-haired one."

Inari grunts, but takes the plate of food when Toru hands it over. Beside him, Toru sits down, crossing his legs and looks out the window. They're facing the ocean; all that can be seen is bits of forest greenery and behind that – ocean blue and mist, rolling in thick and heavy.

"Why don't you go away?" Inari says with an irritated glance sideways. "No one asked for you to come after me."

Toru shrugs. "Maybe I wanted to."

"Why?"

Humming, Toru traces the seal on the back of his left hand, the lines and patterns of the Absorption Seal, well-known and a symbol of past memories and a past life, where seals were his life. "Not sure," Toru says. "Maybe it's because you seem lonely, maybe because I dislike leaving you to your own devices when you don't seem happy. Maybe I just dislike seeing sad, grieving people and know you don't want to be left alone."

"You can't know that," Inari says. "I don't want company."

"Grief's… hard. It's easier, though, when you have someone to lean on. You learn to let these things go."

"What do you know of grief? You're just some teenager who thinks he's in the right!"

A child striking out at those around him to hide the pain is nothing Toru is unused to, _(it takes him back to years ago, finding life just after disaster, finding comfort in living, learning love and learning how to comfort someone, learning how to take anger out of words, learning to see to the pain beneath)_. "I don't agree, but that's okay. We don't have to agree. You're thoughts and opinions – they're all valid, you know that right? You're allowed to believe heroes don't exist, no one else has the right to force your thoughts and opinions to change."

There's a pause, and Inari shifts, chopsticks held in one hand. "Do you think heroes exist?" He asks softly, _(carefully, and very much afraid, but he's asking and that matters – he's trying, trying to understand)_.

Thinking, Toru carefully considers his words before speaking, tasting them on his tongue, feeling the echo in his mouth, the vibrations in his throat, _(he has to be careful, kind and gentle, but unafraid; he is standing on glass and balancing, if he steps wrong, then he will fall and the glass will shatter – maybe irreparably)._ "I think we have different ideals of heroes," Toru says slowly, _(words twist and fold on his tongue; he remembers a wish to be a hero; he remembers someone telling him that ninjas can't be heroes; he remembers Uzushio's Jakkaru is renowned as a hero)_. "Heroes… the word's a label, us giving people a description for their actions, labelling them because of their actions. Heroes are meant to be noble, brave, courageous, and – I suppose – everyone can be noble and brave and courageous."

"Are you saying everyone's a hero?" Inari asks, scrunching his nose. "'Cause that's dumb."

"Not quite; I'm suggesting that everyone could be a hero, that we have the qualities and ability to be a hero. If being a hero equates to doing good. Good is subjective. My good might not be the same as your good."

Nodding, Inari states, "So then you believe in heroes."

With a hum, the older boy looks out through the window, eyes fixed on the bits of ocean blue through the trees. "It's a nice idea, isn't it? That heroes are amazing people who will come and save us, who will survive and win against all the odds. It's just an idea, though. An ideal that people will believe in, a label people will apply to others. But that's just my personal opinion. I'm allowed that."

_(Words and phrases and tangled, caught and entwined, and maybe Toru's words aren't precise like he wants them to be, but he's laid them out best he can. What he wants Inari to get from this is that their opinions differ, and that having different opinions is alright, that people can believe different things. Inari isn't broken, doesn't need to be fixed, he is who he is – and it isn't up to Toru to change that, it's up to Inari.)_

"Am I allowed to believe heroes don't exist?"

"Yes," Toru replies, certain and sure. "But don't scorn other's beliefs or their sacrifices, dismissing them as heroic actions that won't work simply because you don't believe in heroes. That's not… you shouldn't do that. You wouldn't want me to tell you you're wrong and that everything you ever do will never amount to much; so, don't do it to others."

They sit in silence for a bit as Inari clears his plate of the remaining food. Once he's done, he puts the plate down, complete with chopsticks. "Do I have to apologise?"

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," Toru counters softly. "However, I feel as if your family deserves an apology – you did run off on them after all, and they do care about you, deeply."

Standing with a stretch, Toru stoops to pick up the plate and chopsticks. "Consider it. You don't have to do anything."

When he's at the door, Toru manages to catch Inari's mumbled, "Thanks," and closes the door behind with a smile. It might not be okay right now, but he thinks that with time it will be.

* * *

**Team Kakashi finally finishes their C-rank mission. It didn't go like anyone expected, and everyone learns something. The village regains missing members and the aftermath of Gatō's business ending, along with his oppression of Nami no Kuni, do need to be dealt with. The people need to recover, an economy needs to regrow, and a large power gap in the Underground needs to be filled. Meanwhile, three genins, one jōnin, and one chūnin return to Konoha to continue their lives – Nami no Kuni remains behind them. **

* * *

_**Don't think I have much to say here, so we'll see how it goes. **_

_**Sasuke sees Toru on a mission, for the first time, and sees the ninja rather than the family member he's come to know. Toru the ninja is dangerous and is ready to be dangerous at any moment if it becomes necessary. It reminds Sasuke, slightly, of Itachi. Meanwhile, Toru is nervous as to what the three genins will think, because this isn't what they're used to - they're not used to Toru killing everyone, because they've never seen him on a mission. **_

_**I was of the belief that the mission with Gato would be much more dangerous and brutal, realistically, then Gato just running a shipping business and taxing everyone on the island. Hence, I figured that I'd have Gato part of drug selling and all that, and human trafficking so he had people to look after the plants that create the drugs and all that. **_

_**Tomoe, Masuyo, and all that rest - the first kids who joined Kakumau. You can see here that they've really changed from when we first met them, and also that they've got a serious force behind them. This was also something I thought of when thinking about Gato, because if he had power and was corrupt, then there had to be something that filled that power gap when he was done. Not to mention Gato shipping industry would still go on and so forth; what would happen to it all if Gato was killed? Also, what about all those other places Gato had set up bases? Like Tazuna's village surely wasn't the only one impacted. Here you've got Kakumau setting up plans and putting people in place so that they have influence and control over who's filling that power gap and so forth.**_

_**Inari... Hmm. Inari doesn't need to be saved, and wouldn't just have a total personality flip and mentality shift from one conversation. I wanted to show that he didn't have to change, that no one could force him to, that he shouldn't have changed. So, Toru came in to show that, to prove that it was alright. Inari didn't have to believe in heroes because he was a hurting, isolated kid.**_

_**Anyway, yeah, that's pretty much all I have for you guys with this chapter. The next main plot point is the chunin exams, so I'll see if I can chuck in a filler chapter before we get there so you have some idea of the time between this mission and the chunin exams. I do have some plans I wish to put into place as well.**_


	7. Students

Sharpening a kunai, Toru only looks up when Sasuke calls his name. "You're coming to training, right?" The genin asks, standing close to the door with Naruto next to him.

"You do know I'm not your teacher," Toru says. "Since I'm no longer on the mission with you, I figured you'd continue training solely with Kakashi-san again." A glance at the weapons left to sharpen, and Toru makes a quick decision, _(how much does he trust Kakashi to continue teaching like a teacher)_, picking them all up and placing them in his weapons pouch. He can deal with blunt kunais for now, _(if it means making sure everyone learns, then he can deal)_. Twisting, he picks up his katana, still in its sheathe, and slings it over his back. "However, since I'm not doing anything, I might as well come. Lead on, Sasuke."

Both boys smile at Toru, and Naruto instantly starts chattering away, _(and this too is an achievement)_. They'd returned to Konoha a few days ago, in high spirits, _(all ends well – for once; this is one story with multiple happy endings). _Kakashi had given the genins the following few days off to write their reports and hand them in. The Uchiha chūnin knows Kakashi hadn't thought that through, _(numerous sessions of successful teaching don't necessarily make a teacher)_ – after all, normally jōnin senseis read over the reports to make sure the new ninjas are including all the necessary information. Iruka and Toru had taken that job for themselves this time round, _(they wouldn't be doing it a second time; Iruka almost screamed the first time Toru asked)_.

Toru didn't plan on picking up that slack a second time. He doubts Kakashi had planned to brush the work off for someone else to take care of, but he had. Something to mention today, then.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouts, breaking away from his chatter. From her place at the meeting point, Sakura smiles and waves. "Hey!"

"Good morning," Sakura greets as the trio get closer. "Sensei still isn't here yet. It was a bit too much to hope that he would be here on time."

"Good morning, Sakura-chan," Toru says calmly. "Now, if Kakashi-san isn't here, there's no point wasting time on him. What could you be doing right now?"

The three genins look considerably chastised at Toru's words, _(better to learn now than die later), _shifting uncomfortably on the spot. "Consider what you want to work for and how you could make Kakashi-san get here earlier."

"We could prank him," Naruto immediately offers, "that'd get him coming on time."

Takuma barks loudly, and the three genins turn to the ninken. "Some things are simple," Toru says. "Remember to use all your tools and advantages. Sasuke, you've had Takuma for about two years now. You should be better at working together."

_(Always work together, but also be able to be strong on your own; an interesting lesson, and a difficult one to fully understand.)_

Nodding, Sasuke turns to face the dark brown wolf-dog. "Takuma, can you find Kakashi-sensei for us?" Takuma barks once and sprints off, drifting into the shadows.

"Whilst we wait, consider what you want to work on in training. Immediate plans and future goals. Start warming up while you do so," Toru instructs, as he settles down onto a tree stump, laying out his blunt weapons once more and starting to sharpen them, _(always ensure your weapons are sharp because having a blunt weapon might just spell your end)_.

The three genins start stretching, helping one another as they do so, _(teamwork, where once there would have been none)_. After a few minutes, Naruto says decisively, "I want to work on my combat capabilities. I'm meant to be the one who specialises in ninjutsu on this team, but I don't know much. That's my future goal, but I don't know what to do for immediate plans."

"Chakra control is probably the best idea for you currently," Sakura advises as she switches from stretching to a gentle taijustu kata meant to help warm up. "You've struggled with it previously, so improving it will only help you in the future. I suppose, learning your chakra nature might help as well?"

"Clever thinking, Sakura-chan," Toru says. He checks the blade of the kunai he's currently holding. It's no longer blunt and it isn't chipped either. Putting it away, he glances up at Naruto. "You've got something else to say?"

"Can we request specific types of missions?" Naruto asks. "I'd prefer ones that will help us in our goals. For instance, missions involving normal problems both in-village and out-village, missions that would improve our reputation and goodwill people have towards us, missions that involve some kind of discussions similar to politics."

"We could've had a bridge named after us," Sakura points out, and gives Naruto a smile before he can speak. "However, we all agreed that bridge deserved the name Kaiza more than anything else. Anyway, I'd like to expand my taijutsu and medical knowledge, with the future goal of merging the two together."

"Have you considered poison to start off with?" Sasuke asks as he shifts from a block to a low kick, _(his block is weak; he needs to work on that)_. "Even if you don't continue with it, it'd give you some knowledge that field medics and battle medics have to deal with occasionally."

"I doubt Kakashi-san or I could help you with poisons," Toru says once Sakura nods. "I'll ask around, though. See if anyone can find anything. Sasuke, your plans?"

"Probably working on genjutsu, since neither Sakura or Naruto have got that covered. Taijutsu would be good, I suppose, but I'd like to expand all my skills instead of specialising. Primarily, though, improve working with Takuma in all aspects."

"Something that Kakashi-san can work on with you," Toru replies. Relatively close by, there's a bark and Takuma stops next to Sasuke. Tilting his head around, _(chakra ready and waiting, a seal carefully preserved in his mind, a blade in hand), _Toru catches sight of Kakashi Hatake, _(he doesn't relax, doesn't let go, but he loosens his hold slowly and that is, in a way, trust). _

"Oh?" Kakashi says softly, gazing at the three genins and one ninken who straighten beneath his eye. Young. Malleable. Children. "For now, improve on your stamina. Three laps around Konoha proper, chakra is allowed."

Sasuke shoots Kakashi a venomous look, Naruto fidgets, and Sakura brushes her hair behind her ears. "Go on," Toru says with a shooing gesture, and the three take off, Takuma bounding beside them all. Standing, Toru meets Kakashi's eye evenly. They're about the same height, but it doesn't feel that way, _(Toru stands in front of a legend, a prodigy, with nothing but his own skills and lack of legends; it is like a hill before a mountain, except the hill holds a castle and the mountain has nothing but forests)._

"Do you have training plans?" Toru asks, sensing that Kakashi isn't willing to breach the silence.

"How long will it take them to complete their current task?" Kakashi asks in lieu of answering.

"They could do it thirty minutes, if they pushed themselves," Toru says. "Probably longer, though. They're not happy. Now, _training plans._"

"A good ninja can make decisions on the run," Kakashi says, Toru snorts.

"Good thing we're not on the run, then," he says, feeling danger slip down his arms, skimming his fingertips. He breathes in, _(and the shinobi in front of him sees a child despite all Toru has proven)_. "Sasuke needs to learn how to work with Takuma. Naruto needs to learn more ninjutsus and work on his chakra control. Sakura wants to look into poison whilst she continues to work on trying to blend taijutsu with medical jutsus. You're known for working with ninkens, you can get Sasuke started there. Naruto needs another clone jutsu that isn't so chakra intensive, he can't do the Academy one."

"What happens when I work with one genin and get accused of favouritism by the others? What are they doing – lounging around?" Kakashi retorts, a tone of warning in his voice.

_(Sometimes you listen to warnings, and sometimes you don't because you can't afford to, sometimes you ignore warnings because there's no point listening to them. Sometimes you throw yourself straight in danger because it's the best path ahead.)_

Toru laughs, a huff, soft thing, _(something edging between real and fake)_. Meeting Kakashi's stare with his own, he says, "Good thing I'll be here, then, to keep everyone on track."

"Including me?" Kakashi asks, and something has shifted, _(Toru's been proving himself since he survived where almost everyone else died, he's been proving himself for decades that no one remembers anymore; he shouldn't have to keep proving himself, but here he is again)._

They're not quite friends, barely acquaintances, teammates in a word, but not close teammates. Trusting but only in terms of Konoha's team trust. Toru bares his teeth at Kakashi, _(at the world; he has always been baring his teeth at the world). _"What? Feel up to teaching by yourself?"

A shake of his head, and Kakashi laughs, short, sharp, _(fake)_. It's not actual laughter, but this is a starting point. They've both got façades and masks to keep up, _(they are ninjas)_. "I'm a genius and a prodigy, you think I need help teaching?"

"For those exact reasons, yes," Toru replies. "Kakashi-san, you're a genius and a prodigy, taught in wartime, a soldier first and a child second. You're now going to be in charge of teaching three genins, kids really, who aren't like you in pretty much every possible way. They're not going to understand things straight away, and you're going to have explain things repeatedly, teach something over and over. Do you truly think you can do that alone?"

"I'm a jōnin and I have been for years," Kakashi responds, narrowing his one eye.

"Good for you," Toru replies, and feels chakra flickering at his fingertips, available to him if he just so much as wills it, _(danger, even if no one notices)_. "We can set up a basic schedule which all of them can carry out – general fitness, exercising chakra reserves, and that kind of thing. It can," Toru smiles, "start with laps around Konoha proper."

"I'll get Naruto-kun started on the Shadow Clone Technique," Kakashi decides. "Sakura-chan's learning will be your responsibility, as I can help her create a style, but iryō ninjutsu is something I don't have any speciality with. Sasuke-kun and Takuma will work with me after I've taught Naruto-kun the basics. You'll have to work with the other two genins whilst I do general ninken training."

Toru nods, answering just as Takuma bounds into the training ground, tongue hanging out of his mouth as he pants. "Let's get started then."

* * *

"None of you kids have a whetstone or a water stone kit?" Kakashi looks over at Toru, who has been checking the blade of his katana for the last few minutes, _(it's due for a sharpening)_.

"Academy taught them but they generally didn't have their own kits. Really, I was waiting for them to consider the fact they needed their own sharpening kits, although it's a lot less important with kunais and shurikens than other bladed weapons," Toru responds. Sheathing his katana, he stands up, _(maybe he can have the katana properly sharpened)_. "I'm going to take my katana to a togishi I know; they can get kits from there as well. You going to come, Kakashi-san?"

The jōnin visibly hesitates, and maybe if Toru was someone else, he'd turn his back and either let the older man stay behind or catch up. But Toru is no one but who he is, and so waits, patient, for Kakashi to make a decision, _(Toru can see how turning his back will be refusing the jōnin, can see how easily it will allow Kakashi to fall behind, fall out of his grasp so he can no longer reach out)._

"Where do you normally go?" He eventually asks, and maybe it's Kakashi's ploy to find another location to buy objects and so forth, but it's Kakashi asking about them, _(about his team, about Toru)_, in a way.

_(This is a start.)_

"It's a blacksmith, actually, but they have a ninja supplies store next to them that they co-own. They're closer towards the outskirts of Konoha, fairly out of the way. I know one of the people who work there, so I get a bit of a discount," Toru explains. This time he turns away, Kakashi a half pace behind him, but following. Smirking, he looks at the genins and Takuma, none of which could keep up if he bothered to properly run. "Let's see how well Sasuke and Takuma have picked up training," he says, tossing the words over his shoulder, even as he leaps forward, form blurring. Kakashi is a quick step behind him, keeping up with ease.

The rooftops take them the first bit of the way, and they easily blend in amongst the other ninjas who leap roofs at a rapid pace. However, soon enough, Toru is slipping down from the roofs and onto the street level. Kakashi follows, landing silently. There's no one around and there are no shops here either, but; well, they're on the outskirts of Konoha, no one would be on the roofs here – not if they wish to blend in.

Still, Toru has been coming here for some time, _(he's come here as Toru and as Ryuu and walked these streets with Naruto and Sasuke and Souma and Sora and alone and with Kakumau; he's walked these streets and they know his footsteps, trust in his people, and that is power, of a kind)_, so the empty street doesn't bother him, _(an empty street never bothers him unless it shouldn't be empty – don't dismiss the warnings easily, note them down)_. It's easy to traverse the last bit of distance to the blacksmith, a few twists and turns down the central streets, _(the side streets and alleys aren't open to Kakashi; they are open to Ryuu and those who live by the streets),_ and then he's standing outside the blacksmith.

Opening the door, Toru immediately calls out, "Hello," loud in the shop's silence. There are weapons of all sorts on the walls, and an open door leads to the connected ninja supplies store. Despite both stores being small and relatively isolated, their wares are clearly well-made.

Kakashi's surprise is hard to see but it brings a satisfied smile to Toru's face. He turns away from the older ninja, slipping down a thin isle towards the counter at the back of the room. "Uchiha-san, hello," Akiko greets brightly. "What can I do for you?"

Toru places his sheathed katana on the counter in front of her. "Since I'm in-village for a while, I was wondering if I could have my katana sharpened by a professional? I can do the job just fine, but since I'm here, thought I'd go for it. I also expect–"

"Made it!" Naruto shouts loudly. There's a thump, and a yelp, _(friends and teammates; Toru couldn't ask anything more for Sasuke's team)_. "Guys, that hurt!"

"Quiet, Naruto," Sakura hisses.

"I also expect," Toru continues, rolling his eyes, "that the new genins will need some help. They need to buy supplies for sharpening their weapons – kunais and shurikens for the most part."

Moving from behind the counter, Akikko offers Toru a grin, _(it's a bit too sharp for a simple civilian, but Akiko isn't a simple civilian anyway)_. "Sure thing, I'll go help those kids out. Man the counter for me, yeah?" Toru chuckles and agrees to wait by the counter, even though they're both aware no one is likely to come whilst the group of ninjas shop.

"You know the quaintest places, Toru-san," Kakashi says, moving from one isle on silent feet. "Most people remain in central Konoha to gather their supplies and so forth."

"Sometimes smaller places are better," Toru replies. "Less people more often than not." Kakashi hums and doesn't leave, _(let him think what he does, Toru knows why he's here and why he doesn't go to the popular stores)._

"Perhaps," Kakashi finally decides, "Now, I'm going to check on those genins. Have fun… manning the counter."

Toru watches as the jōnin heads towards the low conversations, and wonders what the other shinobi is thinking. Still, there is no way to know, for now, Toru will leave it be. He wonders if Sasuke wants to continue his kenjutsu training, they haven't worked on it for a while. Naruto learning the Shadow Clone Technique will means he should probably look into what exactly the jutsu is and the details of it. Not to mention, he also needed to grab the scrolls on medical jutsus for Sakura.

They had the time, at least.

_(For now, they have time, and even if it's just for now, they still have it.)_

* * *

"Okay, Naruto, you know the basis for the Shadow Clone Technique in terms of knowledge and the hand seals needed. You're going to clearly feel the chakra drain, so be prepared for that. Now, go ahead," Toru says.

Naruto nods, face screwed up in concentration. He places his hands in the clone hand seal – a hand seal so rarely used that Kakashi had actually had to teach it to him days earlier. "Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto's chakra clearly flares as he pours chakra into the jutsu, a blue glow outlines him, and then fades. A cloud of smoke, and then there's another Naruto.

"It worked!" Both Naruto and his clone cheer together.

"Take note of your chakra reserves now," Toru says. Naruto nods and closes his eyes, turning his focus inward. "They should be sitting at about half."

"That… feels right," Naruto says slowly. "It feels like I had so much energy I didn't notice and now I'm slightly tired."

"Remember this feeling," Toru advises. "This jutsu divides your chakra evenly between you and your clones. Right now, you each have half of your normal chakra reserves. Now, disperse your clone, Naruto."

Before Naruto can disperse the clone, the clone disperses itself with a wide grin by slapping its own face. Naruto takes a step back, staggering, before catching himself and straightening once more, _(and in that single movement, Toru can see Naruto's efforts and training rewarded)_. "I got the memories from that clone," he says. "Kakashi-sensei didn't mention that!"

"What could a potential downside of having the memories return?"

"Well… if it comes in the middle of a fight, it could distract me. Or, really, if I'm doing anything, they could distract me," Naruto replies.

"You'll also have the experiences that the clone went through," Toru points out. "Pain, anger – any emotion you will feel. If your clone is dispersed through an injury, you'll feel that injury even though you didn't actually personally experience that injury. Now, tell me, what are the advantages of receiving the clone's memories?"

"Well… it means I could potentially work on something more than if I were just doing it by myself. It also means I can experience something from a different perspective, which could help me understand where I'm going wrong. Can the memories overwhelm me?"

"Potentially," Toru replies. "I doubt anyone creates that number of clones. However, your chakra reserves may enable you to create such high numbers. Remember, such a thing is dangerous, and you will have less chakra than you're used to as well. But any chakra your clones have left over does return to you. So, tell me now, what do you need to do to train with this jutsu?"

"I need to figure out a way to train so that when I get the memories back, I'm not instantly distracted. You also mentioned that my chakra is distributed, and if I rely on chakra intensive attacks and defences, then having my chakra halved is going to be problematic," Naruto says slowly, working his way through the problem. Toru nods. "The latter I can deal with by training with the jutsu and working on chakra output and chakra control. But the former? I've got no idea how to work around that."

Toru hums, considering the issue. "While I can't say for certain this would work, I'd recommend meditation and trying to keep your mind blank while your clones disperse. They can also be training the jutsu, working with less chakra and thus having a slightly easier time of coming to understand how the jutsu works, while you meditate."

* * *

"You went from hating Hatake to actively looking forward to training sessions," Shikamaru says between stretches, glancing over at Team Kakashi. "What changed?"

_(He's not quite asking what did you do nor asking what happened on their mission, but he's asking a question that many want to know the answer too.)_

"Are you saying you aren't already aware of something Shika?" Sakura asks with a teasing grin.

Ino rolls her eyes. "We didn't bother trying to find out," she replies with a dainty sniff, stifling laughter with twitching lips, _(and this isn't training to put on a mask, this is friendly ribbing; they have no need for masks and façades here)_. "There was no point investigating the lives of our friends. We trusted we'd have the time to ask you now."

"Realistically, it was probably Toru-san's influence," Chōji remarks, _(the ones you never expect are the ones who surprise you the most, but that's on you)_.

Naruto laughs loudly, _(surprised and unsurprised)_. "I mean, you're not wrong, but what makes you think that?"

"He heavily influenced the changes in the Academy years ago," Kiba points out. "He just keeps fighting for both Sasuke and Naruto and a lot of people, really. Is it really surprising that he'd have something to do with Hatake deciding to actually teach?" Akamaru barks. "You don't have to be a genius to figure that out."

Standing upright, Sasuke ruffles Takuma's fur. "We ready to start?" He asks eagerly, _(eager to test his skills against opponents who will give as good as they can)_.

Hinata meets his fierce gaze with her own expression of excitement, _(she has come so far from the girl she had once been)_. "You know it!" She says. "Limitations are no team and only taijutsu – chakra enhancements allowed – right?"

"This is indeed the agreement we made," Shino acknowledges. "Why? Because it is to dangerous to allow ninjutsu and genjutsu whilst we are still largely unexperienced."

The nine genins and two ninkens settle into defensive positions, waiting for someone to start the battle. Surprising everyone, _(it's only a surprise if you never expect it)_, Shikamaru launches into action first, speeding forward with chakra racing through his legs to engage Hinata. Everyone takes a bare second to adjust to Shikamaru's abnormal first move in attacking Hinata, who is one of the best at defence in their group. Half-shocked by the attack, Hinata's defence is underwhelming until she settles into her natural rhythm and easily blocks the Nara's low punch and high kick. As she goes to attack, Shikamaru bends his knees, then jumps up, sending himself flipping backwards, into the air above Sasuke, Ino, and Shino.

Landing easily, Shikamaru barely has time to identify his surroundings when he's defending himself from Takuma, _(barely has time still equates to having time, and ninjas make sure that having any time is having enough time)_. Once again, Shikamaru jumps upward, but this time he goes straight up rather than backwards. Coming down, he kicks out at Takuma, who slinks out of the way, and gives Shikamaru enough time to roll beneath Naruto's kick and come up in position to engage Kiba.

Without Akamaru at his side, Kiba is at a greater disadvantage than many of the other genins. His defence is strong, but his offence is weaker, and Shikamaru attacks with precision. As Kiba goes to kick him, Shikamaru brings his feet off the ground, only for Kiba to abort his original attack and go for a punch that catches Shikamaru in the sternum. Back slamming into the ground, Shikamaru ignores his gasping lungs, working without oxygen, he places his hands behind his head and pushes himself back towards Kiba, legs out in front of him. Rather than going for the kick Kiba clearly expects, Shikamaru twists himself so his legs end up swinging over Kiba's shoulders, throwing the other boy off balance and forcing him onto the ground.

From out of nowhere, Sakura crashes into Shikamaru, knocking him away from Kiba. Grunting, the pair quickly unscramble themselves, Shikamaru engaging someone else in a fight and Sakura finds herself defending Chōji's attacks.

It's a bad matchup for her. Chōji focusses on strength, and has slowly rounded out his offence with an equally strong defence. For Sakura, who focusses on precision, her attacks are easily blocked, _(sometimes you don't have strength and you can't just make yourself physically strong, so you turn to other paths and make sure you are still strong)_. However, she has her own talents, and her defence is based around the idea of not being where the blow lands, and when she can't avoid it, deflect it, _(water goes around an object, deflected, remember this Sakura-chan)_. As a result, Chōji's strength is largely negated. Still, Sakura finds herself faltering soon enough. Thankfully, though, the melee means that as soon as she manages to get some distance from Chōji, there's a fight blocking Chōji from engaging Sakura again, _(safe for a brief moment, she can turn her back and fear no following attack)_.

Twisting, Sakura looks around her. The fights are petering out now, exhausted panting fills the training ground. Takuma and Akamaru are snapping and whirling around one another, out of everyone else's way. Shino and Naruto are on the sidelines, along with Kiba. Sakura joins them.

She watches as Chōji takes Ino out by sweeping her legs out form underneath her and slamming a fist onto the ground, next to her head, _(a warning and a reveal in one)_. However, before he can revel in his achievement, he's twisting and fending Hinata's attacks off. Relatively close by, Shikamaru and Sasuke keep a frantic taijutsu battle. Sakura watches, amused, as Shikamaru slowly leads Sasuke closer and closer to the other pair still fighting. Then, a metre away, Shikamaru darts away, pushing himself to flip over Hinata and Chōji, using them as a shield. However, when the pair turn to attack him instead, he slips around the attacks and defends by forcing them to get in each other's ways.

"He's really stepped up his taijutsu, hasn't he?" Sakura remarks as she watches the four genins keep fighting; Sasuke bowing out after catching a fist to his cheek.

Ino nods. "Yeah, he's been working on it primarily, claiming that he needs to be able to have strong taijutsu so he can use clan jutsus close by. However, he's mainly using their weaknesses against everyone. Going for the unexpected."

"They're stopping now," Shino remarks. "I imagine they are all very tired now. Still, a good spar all round."

The three genins – Shikamaru, Chōji, and Hinata – are congratulated as they rejoin the group. "Meet up for ramen in half an hour?" Sasuke asks, having retrieved Takuma from the wolf-dog's playfight with Akamaru. "We can discuss everything then." Agreeing to the plan, the nine genins head to their respective homes, keen for a good shower.

* * *

"Alright Sakura-chan," Toru starts, "What can you tell me about Chakra Scalpel?"

"It's a medical technique that enables a ninja to form a small, sharp blade capable of being used in surgeries. It requires great precision – which explains why Kakashi-sensei had me training with senbon recently and you had me doing more in-depth reading about the human body – and isn't often used offensively. However, it can be used offensively, but a person needs to watch their chakra control and know the human body well to effectively incapacitate their opponent."

"Very good," Toru says, causing Sakura to beam at him. "You've been practicing the seals as well, right? Tiger, horse, rabbit, rat, and dog." The genin nods. "Very well, then let's see how you go. Remember, this time let the chakra flow naturally rather than attempting to control it; only control it if you think you're losing too much chakra."

Sakura moves through the hand seals slowly, each one almost perfect, her practice over the past few days shining through. Less than a second after she finishes the last hand seal in the sequence, blue chakra bursts from her fingertips, flowing around her hand and forming sharp edges.

"That's it," Toru says. "Can you feel the drain on your chakra currently?"

"Yes," Sakura says, "but it isn't a large drain. I could probably hold this for a while."

"Lessen the chakra flowing to your hands and see what happens," Toru says. Sakura's eyebrows furrow as she does so, and the blue around her hands loses its sharpness and clarity. The scalpels decrease in size. "Continue that and see if you can stop the jutsu that way." Quickly, the technique ends, the chakra disappearing from Sakura's hands.

"Through controlling my chakra, I control the size and the sharpness of the scalpels, right?" Sakura asks.

"And the strength."

"And the strength," Sakura echoes. "Could I practice the jutsu by monitoring and changing my own chakra output? Both when the jutsu is active and when I'm starting the jutsu?"

"You definitely could. To work on sharpness, size, and strength of the jutsu, as well as getting a good idea of how much chakra you need, I recommend working on slicing through certain objects and working your way through them. Start with a piece of wood and go from there. Try things that only need something sharp and try to have a steady cut, straight, not jagged. And remember…"

"Watch my chakra levels," Sakura finishes with a nod. "I got this, Toru-san. Don't worry!"

Toru laughs and ruffles Sakura's hair. "I know you do. Now, I've got a kenjutsu spar lined up for Sasuke, so try on your own for now. Both Kakashi-san and I will help if you ask."

Sakura nods, smiles, _(no one calls her baby-faced Sakura anymore, no one scorns her for her pink hair, no one assumes she's a civilian; she is a kunoichi and everyone can see it)_. "Understood, Toru-san!"

* * *

**In returning to Konoha, Toru refuses to leave Kakashi alone in his attempts to teach. He helps, advises, and still lets Kakashi really decide what is being taught. Meanwhile, the Rookie Nine continue to train and measure their skills against one another. They have an idea of what the world outside Konoha is like. They all want to survive it. Thus, they train.**

* * *

_**I'd like you all to know that it is very difficult to learn about how katanas used to be sharpened when they were often in use. I started with whetstones on Wikipedia and ended up looking at water stones and realising it was much harder to sharpen swords than I realised because there are like two or three levels and there's a certain kind of grit you want the whetstone to have, but that depends on what kind of sharpening you're up to. Katanas, it turned out, generally get sharpened by a tobeshi because otherwise it gets stuffed up. Could I find any information on what, exactly, a togishi is and does? No, not at all. First page google has failed me, and I'm too lazy to actually do some in-depth research that isn't technically needed. Also, I'm very well aware of how likely I am to get sidetracked (I was looking at when pens were invented and ended up learning that the largest ballpoint pen is 5.5m, made in India, and weighs 37.23 kg long; thanks Wikipedia). This chapter has quite a few time skips because, well, they're needed. This chapter (and the next one) are just fillers to get to the next major point in canon (you all know exactly what it is). **_

_**Despite the C-rank mission everyone went on, not much has changed. Yes, Kakashi is trying, but he still isn't that great. Toru is willing to keep an eye on things and help out, and - honestly - Kakashi needs it. To be fair on Kakashi, he literally is having this new ANBU and chunin Uchiha suddenly come up to him and tell him he's doing badly. He's going to be defensive. To him, Toru is a kid with some experience but less than Kakashi. Kakashi is better in every way, older, experienced, and knows war, and yeah. It's not true, but Kakashi doesn't know this. So, I think Kakashi has reason to act why he does in regards to Toru. **_

_**Akiko makes a second experience. For those who don't remember her, she appeared briefly in Current Strength where she asked for Ryuu's help to get a job. Toru obliged, and here we are, years later. **_

_**I'm not going to go into too much detail on the training on the genins, because it's pretty clear - or so I think. Comment and ask questions; I will, of course, answer. I didn't focus much on their actual training, largely because I thought it would be boring to write, and this is pretty much all filler. Also, I did write this chapter and the next in under two days, so, yeah. It's kind of understandable why it's a bit broken, although that's largely because I was dealing with some massive time gaps and still trying to show how the characters were developing their own skills. **_

_**We got to see the Rookie Nine coming together to meet up and test out their own skills! It was fun to play around with them, I will admit. Shikamaru is an interesting character because he's so smart, and also because he had to train the most to get his taijutsu up to scratch so it was nearly on par with Chouji's. **_

_**Also, just a massive shoutout and thank you to PearlBear who actually motivated me enough to write this filler that ended up getting split into two chapters after it doubled in size for some strange reason.**_


	8. Teacher

One moment he's meditating, his vision empty and dark, and the next Naruto is falling and falling and falling, _(he's falling again and no one here will catch him)_. He lands on something soft, jerking his head out of the soft something, _(softness does not mean safety; this Naruto knows intimately)_, he looks around, immediately checking his surroundings. Realising there's no one around, he takes a slower look.

"Huh?" He says, pushing himself so he's now sitting. "How did I get here?" The room around him is extremely familiar, from the well-made bed on the opposite side of the room, to the bunk bed above his head. "Is anyone home?" He calls out, getting off of his own bed. No one responds, _(it's like an inverted nightmare; instead of being kicked out, he's been left behind)._

Once again, he glances around. As usual, his clothes are a messy pile shoved under his bed. As usual, both Uchihas have their beds made perfectly. As usual, the walk-in wardrobe is closed, _(he doesn't know if this is a dream or not)_. The wardrobe growls. "That's not normal," Naruto remarks to himself aloud, taking comfort in the fact he can hear his own voice, _(this doesn't have to be a bad dream; he can make it a good one if he just tries hard enough and believes enough)_. He knows that nothing can get in here without Toru knowing, so surely the wardrobe is safe, _(this isn't going to be a nightmare; not while he has any say)_. "Maybe one of the dogs got stuck in there," he says thoughtfully, creeping closer to the doorway.

The wardrobe growls once again. "That doesn't really sound like a dog, though. Sounds more like a fox, to be honest." With nothing else to do, Naruto opens the wardrobe doors, one hand resting on his weapons pouch, _(even if it doesn't mean anything here, it means something to him)_.

The doors swing open and then keep opening backwards, _(flapping and flipping and this isn't right)_, until the whole room has been covered by doors. The floor drops out from beneath Naruto, and he hits the ground, rolling forward to get rid of his momentum, and stands once more.

He's no longer home, and everything around him is dark and rather damp, _(something drips in the distance; goose bumps rise on his skin; he wants to run, he swallows that sensation down and hides it elsewhere)_. "This is new. And gross. Definitely gross."

"So," a voice growls loudly, "my latest prison guard has decided to deign to finally meeting with me. It only took you a decade and a bit."

Naruto whirls around at the reverberating words, wincing as he feels the deafening sound send his ribs vibrating, _(fear sinks its claws into him, into his lungs and crawl – ever so slowly – up his throat)_. However, upon seeing the owner of the voice he can do nothing but stare, words stolen from his mouth, and he's left frozen and shaking, _(this is so much more than fear and so much worse)_. Behind prison bars, ominous red eyes glare at him accompanied with massive, sharp teeth. The creature glows and steps forward, and the massive fox looks down at him, _(he doesn't think this is a dream anymore)_.

"Come to steal my chakra from me? Come to force me to fight for you? What do you want, you pathetic _worm?_" Naruto's mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. "What a disgusting, pitiful creature you humans are. Unable to even speak as fear ensnares you. So weak, you are."

"You're– You're the Kyūbi!" Naruto shouts loudly, refusing to step backwards, _(refusing to give in to his own fear; he owns his fear, not the other way around),_ and looking up to meet the giant fox's eyes. The fox grins and leans closer. Swallowing, Naruto continues, "I- I didn't mean to come here. Wherever here is."

_(He has a vague idea of where here is, but that doesn't matter not with what's in front of him.)_

The fox's snout comes closer, and Naruto eyes the creature's teeth. It's a good thing he does, too, since the fox's snout quickly escapes from beyond the bars, and jaws snap closed where Naruto had been only seconds before.

"That's not very nice," Naruto says. "Besides, I didn't mean to disturb you. You don't have to be so mean about it!"

"You keep me chained here," the fox roars, withdrawing back into its prison with a snarl. "This time I will attack your stupid, little village the moment I escape from here with my own will! This time you will not be able to stop me when I do so! Take that paper away from my cage and I will let you live."

"No!" Naruto shouts back, fierce as anything, _(fierceness he has fought for),_ and clearly surprising the fox. "My friends live here! Toru lives here! So does Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei! I won't let you hurt them!"

"You may have me captured and contained for now, but I will escape! I do not wish to be your captive! I will not help you, no matter what you demand," the Kyūbi responds, and now Naruto can see the creature's lashing nine tails, _(it is easy to hear and see anger; it is easy to feel anger and hatred; he's been there before)_.

_(Maybe once Naruto would hear the Kyūbi's hatred of Konoha and hate the creature in return, despising the nine-tailed fox for what has been done to the village. However, Naruto has heard speeches of how a ninja must use all their tools and advantages available to them. Still, Naruto is hearing this angry, wrathful, hating creature use words like 'my own will' and 'chained' and 'captured' and can't help but think maybe they're both stuck here and imprisoned.) _

"I didn't want this either," Naruto replies. "I didn't ask to be used as a prison guard or have you captured and chained or whatever. I didn't get that choice, okay? But I can't do anything about it now. And neither can you! We're both stuck here and with each other, and yeah, that sucks."

_(He has nothing else to offer, just words and maybe he's lying and the Kyūbi won't know, but words are all he has. For quite a few years, words were all he had – now, now he has more. Just not here.)_

"Get out!" The Kyūbi snarls retreating back into the darkness.

"Wait!" Naruto shouts back. "What do I refer to you as?" The Kyūbi pauses, clearly hesitating,_ (pausing, uncertain),_ taking it as a good sign, Naruto hurries to continue, "I'm not just going to call you an 'it'. You're alive and you clearly have a mind of your own, so you're not just some object and to call you 'it' would be degrading. Do you have a gender or a preferred pronoun – he? She? They?"

A cackle comes from the Kyūbi. "Humans and their labels," the creature says derisively. "Humans created the notion of genders and preferred pronouns; such things are not necessary when you simply are. But… use they. Now, go!" Swallowing, Naruto nods and pulls on his chakra, hoping it'll take him out of this awful place, _(a place cemented with terror and hatred and anger – he doesn't want to be back in that awful place)_.

Blinking quickly, Naruto finds himself staring around him. He's still in the training ground. "Are you okay there, Boss?" A clone asks him.

"Hold up on dispersing for now," Naruto says. "Do you know where Toru is?" The clone points southward. "Thanks."

Running, Naruto finds himself grateful for the fact that Toru is alone currently, _(he doesn't think he could wait to have this conversation)_. "Naruto?" Toru says, turning to face him. "Is everything alright?"

"I think I just met the Kyūbi," Naruto replies, and watches as Toru's face doesn't change. "I was meditating like you'd suggested and then I found myself in our bedroom? And the wardrobe was growling so I opened it except the doors kept opening and then I was falling and somewhere dark and there were bars and glowing red eyes and the Kyūbi spoke to me and they said a lot of things and gender is just a made-up human concept and-"

Naruto cuts himself off as Toru pulls him into a hug, and only then realises he's crying, _(he hasn't cried in a while, not like this)_. Hiccupping, Naruto buries his head into Toru's shoulder and just lets himself feel safe, _(reminds himself that anger and hatred and fear are not needed here, that Toru will look out for him)_. In Toru's warm embrace, Naruto explains what happened.

"Sounds like the Kyūbi has been used as a tool their whole life," Toru says, once Naruto has finished speaking and stopped crying, and the two are sitting next to each other in one of the taller trees in the training ground, _(above the ground, everything looks smaller, feels more insignificant, Naruto loves it)_. "That doesn't sound like a very nice life."

"Do you think the Kyūbi hates me?"

Toru hums, thoughtful in his silence. "I think the Kyūbi sees you as their guard, and thus hates you for that. You stand for keeping them locked away, when they do not wish to be so. You might not have had a choice in the matter, but emotions are not always logical."

"No, they're not," Naruto agrees, knows. "Still, though. It seems a rather awful life to live – being locked and chained up forever. Being only a tool. I don't think I'd want that… The Kyūbi said some odd things, insinuating that they didn't have a choice when they attacked Konoha," he continues slowly. "Do you think I could change their mind about everything? Prove humans aren't as bad as they say? Or, at least, not all?"

"Naruto, we all have the power to try to change someone's mind, but it might not work. They have a choice to listen to you and ignore you. Don't go forcing people to change, forcing choices on them. Only reveal they have a chance. Show the Kyūbi you are not what they think you are. From the sounds of it, you visited your own mindscape and for you it was home, for the Kyūbi it was a jail. Perhaps you can try to change that, give them somewhere better to be whilst they are stuck within you. You control your own mind, Naruto. Don't let them bully you into believing otherwise."

Naruto nods once, twice. "I'm going to prove the Kyūbi I'm better than the other humans they've met. And… I think the Kyūbi needs a friend, you know? I could try to be their friend."

"We all need friends to offer comfort and love," Toru agrees. "And, you know what I think Naruto?"

"What?"

"I think the Kyūbi would be hard pushed to find a better friend than the one they will find in you."

Naruto beams.

* * *

Haruto snarls loudly, echoed by Takumi. Instantly awake, Toru slips out of bed. He'd been intending to recover a bit more after the ANBU mission he'd completed with his team the previous day; so far, his plan seems to be failing, _(that's fairly normal)_.

Both dogs quiet as Toru drifts closer to the door, adrenaline kicking his heart into overdrive, _(but he remains in control)_. Slowly, silently, approaching the door, the chūnin signals both dogs to ready themselves. Takumi crouches next to the door, Haruto stands next to Toru, hackles up. Someone knocks on the door, polite enough, but that doesn't necessarily ensure they mean no harm. Dropping his hand to his side, Toru flattens his palm, telling the dogs to hold, and opens the door.

"Good afternoon, Toru-san," Kakashi greets from outside the door. "May I come in?"

Tilting his head, Toru nods, opening the door full and stepping backwards. "Come on in, Kakashi-san." Haruto and Takumi turn away from the pair, moving to opposite sides of the room where they appear to curl up and sleep – an appearance, Toru knows, that is quite fake. The pair are watching, ready for if Toru needs them. "Have a seat," he adds, gesturing towards the couches.

Kakashi sits down, on the edge of the couch, not relaxing back into it. He looks awkward, ill at ease, in the apartment. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Toru asks, already predicating the answer.

"No thanks," Kakashi says, _(Toru's prediction had been right)_. "Do you mind if we talk about the genins?"

Sitting down, Toru responds, "Go ahead. I take it they're training with Gai-san currently?"

A shift in body posture and Kakashi dips his head in a nod. "Yes, they're with Gai and his team – as we'd planned in weeks past." Toru waves his hand, acknowledging the statement. Three weeks ago, Kakashi had brought the idea forward, _(had made a decision and come forward, had tried),_ of the genins training with an older team, against those more experienced like what would happen often in the field. Gai had been happy to improve the taijutsu of Kakashi's team and the two jōnins had organised for their teams to train together once a week.

There's a pause, and it stretches out, _(stretches and stretches, like a shadow does as the sun rises)_. Over the course of the past two months, Toru likes to think he's gotten an understanding of who Kakashi is. Kakashi knows what he wants to say, doesn't let silence stretch out unless he wants to be that way.

"What are you thinking?" Toru finally asks, because Kakashi has come here to Toru's home, to Toru's safe place. This is an area where Toru has control over what happens; by coming here, Kakashi has given away the advantage and purposefully placed himself at a disadvantage, purposefully given himself a weakness. The man may be arrogant, at times, but he's all too aware of his own mortality and vulnerability. He doesn't give himself weaknesses.

"I–" Kakashi visibly cuts himself off, words lost, and Toru waits, because that's all he can do. "I didn't really have a genin team, not really. As a genin, I was swapped between teams during wartime. I wasn't a genin for long, quickly being promoted to chūnin. Minato Namikaze was my teacher then, and I was placed on a team with two other genins – Rin Nohara and Obito Uchiha. We weren't friends – or, at least, I wasn't friends with either of them. I was just waiting for when the time came that I didn't have to be on a team, didn't have to rely on anyone."

Now there is a pause, emotion fuelled, and Toru thinks this is may very well be the first time that Kakashi has ever spoken about such things to someone else, _(it's a sad thought, and something that shouldn't have happened, because while Toru knows that Kakashi is littered with cracks and scars that he has healed himself, Toru thinks everyone needs someone to speak to)_.

"We had a mission, without Minato-sensei, and I was leading it. During it, Rin was captured and taken. Obito refused to follow my suggestion that we complete the mission, and left after saying... Well, such words don't matter. I went to complete the mission, and turned back before I even got to the bridge. I arrived in time to save Obito from being killed and we both went on to rescue Rin. During the ensuing battles, I lost my eye and Obito finally unlocked the sharingan. There was a cave-in and Obito took my place beneath the falling rocks," Kakashi's fists tightened, and he met Toru's gaze with his own eye, angry and guilty and broadcasting his emotions clearly, _(he's been fairly emotionless, acting like he is giving a report – until this moment)_. "He bequeathed his sharingan to me."

Kakashi takes a deep breathe, and then continues, "Teams have never worked out for me, Toru-san. I wasn't taught like how ninjas are taught these days. Things don't work in my head like how they work for others. Teams often end in death, and I have never been strong to protect my teammates. They call me friend-killer Kakashi, you know." The jōnin folds his hands in his lap, and appears to wait for Toru's response.

"What were Obito-san's words?"

"What?"

"You say the words don't matter, but clearly they do. You turned back form the mission, regardless of the possible consequences. The words must have made an impact then, and thus must carry some importance now," Toru responds, leaning back. "You remember them; you just haven't said them."

"'Those who break the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. If I'm going to be called trash either way, I'd rather break the rules. And if that somehow makes me anything less than a real ninja, then I'll crush all of these so-called real ninjas.'"

"So, you fear that your will be the reason behind why this team dies or survive where they don't. You carry the guilt of Obito-san's death with you," Toru says straightforwardly, and Kakashi twitches, fingers inching towards his weapon pouch, _(he has given himself a weakness, and so he is ready to attack)_. Carefully running his tongue over his teeth, Toru considers his words. "You probably know this, considering such knowledge became wide-spread fairly quickly, but when I was a chūnin with a half a year's experience of being one I was… Well, I was second in command for our team. Our leader went down so I stepped up in the midst of a fight. I ordered them to go and kept our enemies from following, and ended up being captured by them."

"Yes, and you were tortured for it, and that's terrible, but we are _ninjas_," Kakashi stresses. "This is what our lives are like."

"This story isn't about me, Kakashi-san," Toru says sharply, because he knows what a ninja's life is like, knows it all too well. He knows his story, knows himself. Not everything is about him; he knows that. This is much bigger than him. "It's about my teammates. They all blamed themselves for the fact I was left behind, but that was my choice. I made that decision and it wasn't on them. There was nothing they could be done."

"Obito didn't have a choice."

"Didn't he? He pushed you out of the way and that was his decision. Listen. Guilt isn't logical, and your emotions are valid, okay? You are entitled to them and they are yours, but don't forget this was Obito-san's choice. You were in war. There was nothing you could have done. Obito-san's death isn't on you."

"I killed Rin," Kakashi chokes out, and Toru doesn't know the story behind the comment is, but he knows people, knows that if they're loyal then their decisions are for those around them, for their friends and family and village.

"That was also her decision," he says, deciding to trust that Rin hadn't been a traitor. "We are ninjas. These things happened. Death is part of our lifestyle, and clings to us, sinks deep within our bones. We make our decisions, our choices. And yes, we live with guilt and hate and anger. Such things are not easy, but they made those choices, selfless choices. They wanted you to live Kakashi-san. They wouldn't have done that if you didn't deserve it."

"You don't know me," Kakashi accuses, as if such statements make Toru's words wrong, as if the past two months mean nothing.

"You know I do. Maybe I don't know you well, but I know _you_. You're a genius, a prodigy, a ninja and person formed and shaped by war. You're arrogant, on occasion, and fully aware of your mortality. You are loyal to your village and its people, deeply loyal. You strive to protect others who are part of your village, even at the cost of your own life. You're afraid of forming connections with people and don't know how to interact with others properly. You don't understand other people because they don't think like you, and although you can often predict how they'll act and respond, you don't know why. You're scared and hurting. Tell me, Kakashi Hatake, do I not know you?"

Kakashi narrows is eye and doesn't reply, preferring silence to actually answering. "Consider this, you came to speak to me about the genins. A few months ago, they all hated and despised you, assumed you couldn't teach and looked down upon them. Now? Now they're content to go to training, willing to ask you questions. They know, vaguely, how to tell when you don't mind human contact and socialisation and when they're better off asking someone else instead.

"Consider this, I was once willing to bring you in front of Hokage-sama due to the fact you weren't up to teaching, and now I would be hard pressed to stop you from teaching those genins. You've learnt – how to be human and how to teach; you're still learning. A week ago, one of Gai-san's students asked you something and you answered easily. Sakura is willing to listen to your advice and teachings. Naruto trusts you and doesn't feel like he has to hide who he is or his dreams. Sasuke will come to you, will talk to you. Those three are fighters, and so are you."

Having leant forward sometime whilst he had been speaking forward, Toru leans back again. He has said his bit, and now he's willing to let Kakashi muddle through Toru's words and his own head, _(it's Kakashi's turn now to make a decision; Toru has said his part, done what he can, offered his support and opinions, there is nothing else he can give at this moment)_. Standing up, Toru heads to the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water before returning to the sitting area.

"That's slightly annoying," he comments as the door closes quietly behind Kakashi. "I suppose I best be thankful for the fact he used the door rather than the windows. But still. That's one way to avoid finishing a conversation." Takumi barks in agreement, Haruto whines.

* * *

"You can't come?" Naruto whines. Toru shakes his head. "Please?"

"I have my own mission to prepare for, Naruto," Toru says. "Besides, you don't actually need me on this mission. This one is a pretty boring C-rank. You've completed these before. Remember? Just last month you were retelling how the three of you managed to complete an escort mission to a nearby town with minimal difficulties. The month before that you were explaining how you stopped a flood with your teammates."

Naruto crosses his arms, looking remarkably like Sasuke for a brief moment, and then pouts, which ruins the image. "You've never been on a mission with us barring our first C-rank mission."

"Because you don't need me," Toru repeats, eyes flickering over to Kakashi who had turned up half-an-hour late a few minutes ago, _(and that's a sign of improvement too)_. "C'mon, Kakashi-san is waiting for you already." Naruto groans but heads over to his teammates who easily engage him with a conversation.

Toru meets Kakashi's gaze evenly. "Look after them," he says. Both older ninjas are aware that the mission will bring difficulties the genins hadn't planned on. Previously, Kakashi has carefully selected C-rank missions that have the least likely chance of fighting anything vaguely human. Today though, they would be going on a mission that would probably involve fighting, and killing, bandits. Their first kills, and Kakashi is the one who's dealing with the aftermath, _(and Toru trusts him with it)_.

The older man inclines his head. And Toru turns away, he trusts that Kakashi will look after the trio. He's gotten better at dealing with them, better at teaching, and although – at times – he remains aloof and avoids socialising, he's better than he had been.

As Toru reaches the rooftops, he's joined by two others. Souma and Sora take up positions on either side of him, _(teammates and friends and something more – trusted)_. "They'll be fine, you know," Sora says. "They've trained well."

Souma hums his agreement, only bothering to add, "And they're strong too. You worry far too easily."

_(He worries too easily because he knows all too well the dangers and how easy it is to snap someone's neck, to watch someone die, to see their life bleed out of them – he knows all too well how easy it is to die, even when you don't want to, especially when you don't want to.)_

Rolling his eyes, Toru jabs Souma in the ribs, not caring when the other ANBU dodges the blow with practiced ease, _(a sign of how used to one another they are)_. "I'm fully aware you didn't just come here to tell me my worries are illogical," Toru says. "So what do you two want?"

"We definitely just came to tell you that you didn't have a need to be worried over them," Sora says. "But, also, we had a conversation with some others and decided it was time for us to distract you, except we aren't too good at doing that without forcing you into a spar. Thus, we recruited some help!" With that last statement, Sora shoves Toru, _(Toru allows it),_ causing him to stumble and take to the street.

His teammates land beside him and he blinks in surprise upon seeing Shou and Kiku. Toru glances around and the four people surrounding him; his closest friends aside from Iruka. "Is Iruka going to turn up as well?" He asks, laughter trickling up his throat, _(contentment sits in his heart, and it is not heavy or awkward)_.

"No, because apparently he can't 'just skip a day of teaching.' He called me mad when I told him he could," Kiku responds. "Now, shall we go in? We haven't caught up in ages. Besides, you need to introduce us to your new friends."

"Kiku and Shou, meet Sora and Souma. You all can play a good guessing game to figure out who's who," Toru says. "After all, you've apparently decided to make plans regarding me without my knowledge. You probably know each other's' names already."

"You're right, but you don't have to point that out," Shou says, rolling her eyes and pushing open the door to the restaurant. "That's just plain rude."

"Rude," Toru echoes as he follows the chūnin inside. "You say that like no one conspired with little Sasuke and then handcuff me to Kiku because we were having a disagreement."

"I solved the issue, didn't I?" Shou responds, teasing smile on her face and allows Toru to select a table. "You can't deny it worked."

"I deny it worked," Kiku says, placing herself in a seat next to Shou. "Really, the only we reason we made up was to get our own revenge."

Sora laughs and leans forward, palms flat against the table. "Toru hasn't told us this story, has he Souma?"

The ex-ROOT ANBU follows his teammate's lead and shakes his head, leaning forward slightly and watching Toru's genin teammates with wide eyes. "Please, do tell."

_(They've both come so far and they will only go further.)_

"I'd be delighted to," Shou says, launching straight into the story.

* * *

"The other teachers of the rookie genins are having a dinner meeting tonight," Kakashi says suddenly, seeming to finally explain why exactly he's in Toru's house, sitting on Toru's couch, _(he's in Toru's life because of Sasuke and Naruto but Toru thinks there's starting to be another reason why he remains in Kakashi's life)_. It only took him twenty minutes to finally speak, _(at least he spoke this time rather than staring at Toru for an hour and then leaving)_.

"That's nice?" Toru hazards, not sure what the jōnin wants to hear from him. "Do you want to explain to me why, exactly, you're telling me this?"

Kakashi hums and immerses himself in his book once again. There's no title on the cover, and Toru has no idea what book it actually is. It's a different cover to last week's novel, but that's all he really knows about it. Eventually, Kakashi says, "Do I go?"

Clicking his tongue, Toru picks up a piece of paper with scribbles all over it. "That's your choice," he says as he scrunches the paper into a ball, throwing it up into the air and catching it. "You get to decide that, not me. If you have something else to ask, ask. Otherwise, I'm going to grab something to do as we sit here."

Kakashi leans back further into the crouch, as if he doesn't care what Toru does. Flicking the ball of paper at him, and not minding when the older man catches it without watching, _(he expected nothing else),_ Toru stands up. He heads into the bedroom, grabs his most recent notepad, and goes back to where Kakashi is sitting.

Like the past few times, Kakashi doesn't take leave without prior warning, remaining on the couch, _(it's a more recent development)_. Sitting back down on the couch, Toru flips open to his current thought process regarding the ninjutsu that creates drilling wind bullets. Since a water version of air bullets exists, he assumes that there could be a drilling version for water, especially as there is one for fire already. However, he needs to figure out the hand seals.

There's a slam as Kakashi snaps close his book, Toru doesn't look up. "Toru-san," Kakashi says, and Toru glances at the other man's face, mask and all, _(and doesn't mind because they both hide parts of themselves)_, "Do you believe it would be worthwhile going to the meeting with the other teachers?"

"The rookies often train with each other," Toru says. "Moreover, each teacher has different ways of teaching and different specialities as well. By talking to the other teachers, you may be able to get their help as well or, like you do with Gai-san and his team, work together to train your teams together."

The man grimaces, shifting in his seat, and allows Toru to see his discomfort, so Toru returns the favour, placing down the objects in his hand and focussing on the conversation. "Socialisation isn't my strong point," Kakashi says. "I prefer to avoid it when possible. And I can't stuff this up, especially if the trio want to actually work with the others. It'd do them some good as well."

"Then you're going to go?" Toru asks.

"Are you going to come?" Kakashi asks in answer. "It'd be helpful. You know all the genins."

"Since you so graciously asked me," Toru replies. "I guess I can come."

The book disappears and Kakashi stands up. "Well, let's go then!"

"Already?" Toru asks, surprised. He frowns. "We're already running late, aren't we?"

"Nope," Kakashi says cheerily, and obviously lying, as he leads Toru out of the apartment and then out onto the rooftops. Kakashi leads the way, confident in each step, and Toru traces half a pace behind him, sticking well on side Kakashi can clearly see, _(what people forget is that when you have an obvious disability, you make that your stronger side, if people think it's a disadvantage, they'll aim for it, so you make it stronger and always surprise people)._

"Here we are!" Kakashi announces, dropping onto a street containing ninjas for the most part. Toru takes note of the name – Shushu-ya – before entering the restaurant. It's clearly a ninja-only restaurant, with wide open spaces between tables with windows and reflective surfaces so that everyone can see if there's anyone approaching them.

However, despite Kakashi's enthusiasm, he's willing to let Toru make the way to the table where the other jōnin teachers are. "Kakashi? You actually came? What a surprise!" The man greets – Asuma Sarutobi who Toru has seen in passing. "Who's your friend?"

"Toru Uchiha," Kakashi says. "He's been helping me out with training the genins."

"Nice to meet you both," Toru says. "I've heard about both of you. Sarutobi-san and Yūhi-san, correct?"

"Call me by my first name," Kurenai replies. "Please, sit down. I'm sure we have plenty to discuss."

"Toru-san, then," he catches Asuma's gaze, "for both of you."

"Trying to get on their good side so they'll pay for your meal won't work, Toru-san," Kakashi chimes in, swaying to avoid Toru's answering elbow. "That was rude."

"Free-loaders don't get to comment," Toru counters as he takes a seat next to Kurenai. With a somewhat grumpy expression, Kakashi sits next to Asuma. "Besides, last time your genins tried to get you to come with them for lunch, you ran off and left them with the bill."

Kakashi sniffs. "I don't recall the event you speak of. Could it be that you're lying?" Giving Kakashi an unimpressed look, Toru doesn't reply, instead leaning back.

The silence drags out, and Toru withholds a sigh that builds in him. Kakashi, he can understand, doesn't necessarily understand how to engage in conversations without pretending to be someone else. Moreover, Kakashi doesn't speak that often, he's not quiet,_ (his presence is loud, jarring, because Kakashi is dangerous and no trained ninja can ignore what his presence means),_ but he doesn't speak unless he wants to. However, the other two just appear awkward when they have no reason to be.

"Has Kiba-kun strengthened his taijutsu?" Toru says, directing his question at Kurenai. "Apparently, he's generally weaker when he is without Akamaru helping during a fight."

"Yes, actually," Kurenai says, sounding slightly surprised. "How did you know he had been working on it recently?"

"Their last spar a few weeks ago," Toru explains, "Apparently Kiba-kun knocked Sasuke out of the spar. Sasuke wasn't too impressed, but it was a step-up from the previous spar where Kiba-kun was easily taken out."

"Who partakes in these spars?" Kurenai asks.

"The nine genins – Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura-chan, Kiba-kun, Hinata-chan, Shino-kun, Shikamaru-kun, Chōji-kun, and Ino-chan – as well as the two ninkens – Akamaru and Takuma. They've had training sessions altogether and spars and so forth. They've been doing it for a few years now, ever since they all became friends. The restrictions on the spars generally change. If they're involving ninjutsu, they know they actually have to have someone supervising or nearby or one of their medics-in-training on standby rather than participating in the fight."

"I'm sorry, they do what?" Asuma asks with wide eyes. He turns his gaze to Kurenai, and then Kakashi. "Did you know they were doing this?"

Kurenai shakes her head. Meanwhile, Kakashi nods and opens his book once again. "Are you telling me you didn't know your cute little genins were running around on their off days to continue training?"

"They only do it when they have at least three off days," Toru adds with a glare at Kakashi. "They do actually know how to rest."

"Are you really sure Kakashi is the one doing the teaching?" Asuma asks, with a teasing laugh. "He doesn't really seem the type."

A glance at Kakashi tells Toru all he really needs to know. The man doesn't appear upset or anything, simply turning a single page slowly, calmly, with precise movements. The man doesn't normally turn the pages of his book like that; he's listening, and he's not happy with that comment. "He's a good teacher," Toru replies, barely keeping the irritation out of his voice. "He just had a bit of trouble in the beginning."

Asuma narrows his eyes, but tilts his head in what appears to be apology. Toru nods, short and sharp. Deciding to throw away with the pleasantries, since small talk didn't appear to be working all too well, he asks, "So, what have you been teaching your teams?""

* * *

**Naruto meets the Kyūbi and it goes, well, it goes. That's all that can really be said. Kakashi turns to Toru; both ninjas attempt to find trust within themselves and find the strength to give it to one another. Toru's friends help out and help him and make sure the chūnin doesn't run himself into the ground. Meanwhile, time continues to pass as it does, with the future drawing closer and closer. And the Rookie Nine teachers finally gather and discuss the progress of their students.**

* * *

_**Naruto finally meets the Kyubi, and it's fairly different from what happens in actual canon. I found the whole sewer thing was a bit weird, and so changed it a bit whilst keeping it the same. The Kyubi acts differently, I think, but that's just because I wanted to write them that way more than anything. Also, because they're so caught up in their anger and so forth, they give things away - Naruto picks up on the major one, 'my own will'. However, that's partly due to Toru who mentions that maybe the Kyubi had a reason to attack. I don't know how long it'll be until the Kyubi comes back. I'd have to check my plot outlines, but that's more effort than it's really worth. Eventually, they'll be back. Just not right /**_

_**As we probably all know, Kakashi is definitely not in the best mindset. He comes to Toru because he has come to trust Toru, although even then, he doesn't trust Toru fully. To be honest, during the conversation, a lot of Toru's thoughts were probably 'why me?' and 'I'm not an actual therapist, he knows this right?' Kakashi's weird and everyone just puts up with it. Toru does his best to help Kakashi, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going about it the right way. Good news is that they're both ninjas and probably don't understand socialisation properly, so even if they both make mistakes, the other might not pick up on it.**_

_**I threw in Shou and Kiku because it was about time they reappeared, and also just to remind everyone that they existed, even though Toru has grown more distant in regards to them. That's what time and distance does, to be honest. They just aren't as close as they once had been. **_

_**You finally met the other teachers - Kurenai and Asuma - I had no real idea on how to write them. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed!**_


	9. Trials

**TigrezzTail - You know it occurred to me that I could respond to reviews by PMing you, but I've started this way, so I might as well see it through. I'm glad you liked Kakashi's interaction with Toru! Toru, while smart, is also so, so hopeless with people that he's really closed to. But, he also kinda manages in life. So, of course, Kakashi sees him as the pinnacle of human interaction. As to Toru figuring out Asuma nd Kurenai... Who knows? I mean, Toru is also like 16 and they're much older so they might just view Kakashi and Toru's friendship as strange.**

* * *

"The chūnin exams are coming up," Kurenai says, cutting the conversation in half and putting it on hold, _(a meaningless conversation that isn't, exactly, meaningless)_. Toru glances at her, _(they're rookies, but they're also ninjas), _and already has an idea of what she is going to say. "Are you going to recommend your teams? They've got the necessary qualifications."

"I will," Kakashi says, flicking a page over in his book. This one has a title, although Toru is in the wrong position to see it, _(maybe he should swap reading recommendations with Kakashi, even though he hasn't had much time to read much in the past few years)_. Still, like all of Kakashi's books that Toru's seen thus far, this one also has a plain cover. "They can do well and possibly have a chance of making it to chūnin – or, at least, to the finals, and then getting a good reputation through that and so forth."

"It'd be a good learning experience for them, nothing bad is going to happen," Asuma says slowly, _(but slowly as in thoughtfully, carefully, the words measured and sounded out before spoken aloud)_. "I'm more than likely going to place my team in. It's happening in Konoha as well, to there'll be a home advantage for them and it'll be safer than if it was happening elsewhere. Do you know where the next chūnin exams are meant to be held?"

Kurenai hums. "In Kirigakure, I believe."

Nodding, Asuma responds, "What about the ones after that?"

Where Kurenai pauses in thought, Toru answers, _(there is knowledge hidden in the shadows where small hands or small insects can easily get at it; Toru does not just have an information organisation in only Konoha, after all)_, "In Iwagakure," he says. "At least, I'm pretty certain it is."

"Correct," Asuma says, _(and doesn't question it)_. "Both places where Konoha won't send genins to, regardless of peace. That means it'll be another year until they can become chūnin unless there's an in-field promotion of some kind. Either way, this chūnin exam will be a good learning experience."

"Kiba-kun and Ino-chan do have a chance of becoming chūnin," Toru adds. "Kiba-kun has finally gotten the hang of fighting with and without Akamaru, and can think his way around the problems as long as he remembers too. Ino-chan has started doing really well in terms of her fighting and actual specialisations."

"What about the others?" Kurenai asks, _(she is not asking him to prove himself, but for his opinion; he doesn't need to prove himself here, they're all equals regardless of rank)_. "Surely you can think of more than just those two who would become chūnins."

"Shikamaru-kun has a really good chance of becoming chūnin, and I expect he will. Hinata-chan may become a chūnin, as it really depends on her mentality because she has the fighting capability, but some may view her mindset as weak. Chōji-kun needs to expand his repertoire a bit more; he also wants to learn more first as well, I think, and Shino-kun wants to get stronger first, as he still feels like he depends too much on his insects."

"Gai is putting his team in," Kakashi says. Glancing at Toru before looking down at his book once again. Toru rolls his eyes. The jōnin fails at asking questions blatantly, preferring to insinuate something and let everyone else figure out what he actually said, _(others have to make the effort, others have to show that Kakashi's thoughts and words are important in a conversation, that he matters here with them)_.

"Gai-san has had his team for a year, and they're probably ready to be promoted. Neji-kun has the possibility of being promoted, as long as he makes a good showing of his stealth capabilities and tactile thinking. Lee-kun may be promoted, I'm not entirely sure since he's primarily focussed on his taijutsu, and I don't know how that carries into considerations for promotions rather than ninjutsu or genjutsu. Tenten-chan, I believe, needs to work more on her other skills and have a primary weapon. She's good at all of them, which is helpful, but she's not spectacular. In a one-on-one fight, she does well enough with her planning and thinking. However, I don't believe she's up to leading a team," Toru explains.

"What about my team?" Kakashi finally asks, book closing softly, _(almost gently; and Toru knows this is a book that clearly the jōnin enjoys and possibly loves, but more to the point, he knows that Kakashi's question is significant)_. He's interested in Toru's thoughts, even if he's already made up his own mind about whether or not they'll manage to become chūnins.

"Honestly, there's a high chance all three will become chūnins," Toru begins. "They've all come quite far and showcase the characteristics necessary to become a chūnin, and have the power to back it up. _However,_ I am aware that I'm far too close to them to give an accurate portrayal of their skills and will likely be biased in considering their capability to be a chūnin. In full, it'll really depend how all of the genins perform."

Kurenai gifts the others a smile and lifts her cup into the air. "To the genins." It is easy, Toru finds, to smile and lift his own cup into the air, an echo of the jōnin, _(and a half-thought on his mind)_.

* * *

"What do you want to get out of these exams?" Toru asks the trio of genins, Kakashi a silent figure beside him, _(but not an uncaring one, and that distinction is an important one)_. "What reason do you have to try and gain a chūnin promotion?"

"I want to be Hokage!" Naruto immediately responds, _(he has been saying this for years; he has been meaning this for years)_. "I want to be seen. I want the reputation of being chūnin and therefore having some power to back up my words if I say something important. I want people to see _me_."

_(The silent words are heard – he doesn't want people to look at him and just see the silhouette of a nine-tailed kitsune.)_

"A good aim," Kakashi says, words measured but concise, _(such a thing is a sign of a ninja who knows that words can hurt and so thinks them over every time)_. For all that he seems to stand lazily, posture slumped and eye half-lidded, it's clear he's paying attention to everyone and everything around him. "It will take time, though. Don't rush these things, promotions don't necessarily mean you're a step closer to your goal."

Naruto nods, focussed and paying attention, _(it's only one difference, one sign of how far they've come)_. "I don't want to be seen as the kid Uchiha," Sasuke spits out, venomous all of a sudden, anger clear in his voice, in his posture. "I'm not just- just-"

"We know, Sasuke," Sakura immediately says, leaning into Sasuke, offering comfort, _(his team has noted his struggles with being viewed as the younger Uchiha, and even his hitai-ate means nothing to these people)_. "You're not. Everyone's going to know that once these exams are over." Inhaling, Sasuke offers them a nod, and Sakura continues, "I want to access more material and learn more so I can help everyone achieve their dreams and achieve my own."

Toru laughs, shaking his head, but it's Kakashi who responds, posture adjusting slightly, subtly revealing his happiness or – at least – his contentment, _(and his team read the silent words easily as they have come to know him and he has come to know them)_. "You've done well the three of you. So, go on in and get those promotions."

"Hai, Kakashi-sensei!" The three say loudly, spinning on their heels and entering the building where the first test will be held, _(they are ninjas now, and no matter how much their hearts yearn to look back, they do not)_.

They're stumbling into one another, bumping shoulders and elbows, laughing and chattering nervously, _(comfort offered and given in equal measure)_; Takuma, a silent and sleek shadow, keeps pace with Sasuke's leg. Entering the building, they're quickly surrounded by other ninjas – genins and those acting as supervisors, foreign and Konoha-born. "Back stairs?" Sasuke murmurs to the others, tilting his head towards the back of the building – the opposite direction to everyone else. Sakura and Naruto nod in agreement, trailing behind Sasuke like bodyguards as they fight their way against the crowd, _(but they are not bodyguards, rather they are teammates – all of them)_.

They pass the bathrooms and make it to the back staircase, finally not needing to fight their way past anyone, _(ninjas shouldn't take the path that lies ahead of them, but the one that twists and twirls its way around everything)_. "Do you reckon there'll be a pre-test?" Sakura asks.

Naruto, rushing ahead of the others by taking two steps at a time, pauses on a landing, _(waiting for his teammates to catch up because they are in this together)_. "I'd say so. It'll be something really basic, probably to do with the second floor? The front staircase has a landing on the second and first floor, this one just goes straight to the third to bypass all that."

Sasuke grins, sharp, a baring of teeth more than anything else, _(it's easy to see Toru in the gesture)_. "Good thing we scouted out this place last week," he remarks.

"If you know the battleground, you already have an advantage against those that don't," Sakura replies, voice dropping in pitch as she attempts to imitate Kakashi's voice. The trio giggle, nerves making themselves apparent once again, _(how could they not be nervous?)_. Waving her hand, Sakura adds, "Or something along those lines."

"I thought you were spot on!" Naruto announces, as they reach the third floor, stepping out into a wooden hallway. Instinctively, they cluster together, shifting themselves until they're in a defensive position – Sasuke in the middle, strong with his taijutsu, Naruto on his left and weaker side, ready with ninjutsu, and Sakura on Sasuke's right, prepared to do whatever needs to be done, _(instinctively, they come together as a team)_.

_(Konoha celebrates teamwork, says it lifts people up, laud its advantages, tell everyone to use it, and it's because it works and helps in missions, but it also helps keeps ninjas sane when missions take and take and take.)_

They enter, but not alone. They enter with one another, but also with a genin team in front of them and a genin team behind them, _(slipping in like everyone else, not standing out because they are ninjas)_. It's easy, to take that step forward, to cross from outside in the hallway to into the room. The change in atmosphere is obvious and stifling. It grows tense, uncomfortably so. The jarring and abrupt nature of it makes Sasuke's shoulders lift, makes Sakura twist her fingers over and over, makes Naruto smile bigger, hand resting on his weapons pouch, _(it makes them all tense and nervous; they all have their ticks and tells)_.

Team Kakashi are unbalanced for barely second, before Naruto spots others they know and tugs his teammates forward. Konoha-nins work together, group together, because there is safety in numbers and the notion of a team has been drilled into their heads for years. Thus, Naruto pulls his teammates over to Ino, Chōji, and Shikamaru who wait by the window.

Sasuke finds it easy, to follow Naruto through the crowd, slipping around other genins without a word, _(he finds it easy to follow)_. They go largely unnoticed, just another team of genins amongst many others, _(here, they are not special)_. It's crowded, people clustering together, teams having low conversations that are easy to overhear – but despite the tension, there's an undercurrent of excitement. It's why, when Ino launches into a rapid conversation, Sasuke finds himself drawn in, responding and adding his own input, _(it also has to do with the fact that they are friends and acquaintances and peers)_. Surprisingly, it feels easy to let Team Asuma watch their backs, trusting them to do so, _(it is easy for them to trust)_.

"Here comes Team Kurenai," Shikamaru says softly. "Looks like there's Team Gai with them as well." The other two rookie teams don't know Team Gai as well as Team Kakashi, but there is some familiarity due to Hinata and Neji's familial relationship, _(family, they all know and respect, is important)_.

"Note anything interesting so far, Shika?" Ino asks, just as the two other Konoha teams join them.

"Some," Shikamaru relays. "One Sunagakure team has two members scared of the third, younger member. The redhead. They're definitely ones to watch. Everyone else is just… normal levels of caution, I suppose. That's the only interesting thing I've seen. Anyone else got anything?"

"Aside from that?" Ino shakes her head, _(information is shared because they are not working against one another here, not yet at least)_. "Nothing. Seems like everyone's rather normal and we can't accurately judge their abilities until we see them."

There's a pause, a moment where they all have their own individual thoughts twirling in their heads and don't voice them, and then Sakura is half-turning, attention breaking away from those around her and instead to the ninja standing tall and menacing in front of the room, who had only just appeared. "Anyone know who he is?" She asks, eyes flicking from the ninja to her friends.

"Ibiki Morino, jōnin of some kind, head of Torture and Interrogation," Shikamaru reports with squinted eyes.

"Well-known, dangerous, won't hesitate in anything, loyal," Ino adds, forcing Shikamaru to high-five her. "That's all the intelligence Team Asuma has."

"Don't cross him, basically," Chōji aptly summarises. "Also, danger as in dangerous shinobi, not dangerous to _us_. Ino-chan forgot that."

Rubbing the back of her head, Ino says, "Sor–"

"Alright, listen up genins!" Ibiki Morino booms, voice sudden and effectively silencing the murmured and muffled conversations of various genins. It's a quick change, and the genins are carefully watching Ibiki, all with different reactions and intents. "Welcome to the first test of the Konoha Chūnin Exams! Approach your nearest supervisor as a team and they will present you with a number. Upon receiving a number, you will find your seat number and sit down." The man pauses, eyes roving over all of them. "Well, what are you waiting for? An invitation? GET TO IT!"

After the roar, there's a scramble as everyone charges towards their closest supervisor. Thankfully, twelve genins automatically working together, _(Konoha teaches of teamwork and makes sure everyone learns it; it's not so much a word in their mind as it is a word scrawled on their hearts and scratched deep in their bones),_ and have a much easier time approaching the closest chūnin to them as a result, rather than fighting every other team as a group of three. They come together, once more after receiving their numbers, and then separate just as rapidly, a gesture and a quiet word, muffled 'good lucks' whispered to teammates and friends.

They know they are to put a show on for Konoha, proving Konoha's strength, but they are also here to get themselves promoted, to work as a team when needed and show their own personal abilities when not. Here, they cannot just rely on their teams – after all, upon being promoted, they won't always have their team members around.

"Different placements," Sakura comments, as Team Kakashi show one another their seat numbers. "Good luck, guys."

"You too, Sakura-chan!" Naruto replies, bright and loud, but somehow fitting in with the atmosphere so that his voice doesn't rise above anything and bring them irritated glances. For a moment, they're caught in one another's gazes, moments shared between their lives forever different but concurrently the same, _(a liminal moment some would say)_.

For each genin, it feels like time stretches out in front of them as they wait for the rules that will dictate the first of many tests tbat they must face in order to receive a chūnin promotion. Realistically, they only wait a few minutes for everyone to settle, and even as the last genins hurry towards the remaining seats, Ibiki speaks, loud and demanding attention. "The chūnins around you will place a test paper face-down in front of you. It will contain nine questions. You must answer all questions correctly with a 60% success rate. If you, or anyone of your teammates, falls below the required success rate – you all fail. There will be a ten–"

"But that's not fair! You can't fail us all!" Some genin calls out, and receives numerous looks from everyone. No one knows whether it's bravery or idiocy that motivates them, but the murmured agreement from nearby genins is hard to ignore.

"DO NOT INTERUPT YOUR SUPERIOR WHEN THEY ARE TALKING!" Ibiki roars, stalking forward and halting in front of the genin's desk, looming over them. "Life isn't fair. Get used to it! This isn't some little game. Any who think that can leave the room this very instant!" No one moves, and it seems like no one even dares to breathe. The jōnin strides back to his position in the front of the room to resume speaking.

"The tenth question will be asked after the test has been completed, and I will provide more information then. If you are caught cheating, you will be given two warnings. The third time you are caught, you will be thrown out of this room and fail the chūnin exams. Your hour begins… NOW!"

In response, there's the sound of rustling paper as the genins turn their test papers over. Like the other genins in the room, Shikamaru quickly flicks over the test paper, writing his name when prompted, before reading the first question, _(read a question twice, write an answer, reread everything; if you do something, try to do it only once perfectly)_.

Even before he'd turned the test paper over, Shikamaru had known it would be difficult. Konoha is home to his clan, and any test paper often reflects that. Moreover, the chūnin exam nominees had to be entered before the tests were created, meaning that the test papers were created knowing that Shikamaru would be partaking, _(it might not be difficult because of him, but they won't give him a free pass)_.

However, even ignoring all that, Ibiki has been presenting an intimidating persona, which is at odds to his willingness to let cheating go twice and only kick someone out the third time they're caught. Based on all that, Shikamaru comes to the – probably – correct assumption that the test is conducted to analyse a person's ability to listen to instructions hidden within other sentences and to cheat without being caught. It's sneaky, but they are ninjas after all, _(they may be genins and may be young, but they are ninjas first and foremost)_.

The first question has to do with a cryptogram, but staring at it for half a minute already provides Shikamaru with the answer. However, Shikamaru doubts that others would be able to figure such a thing out so quickly. He glances up.

Ahead of him sits Chōji, and behind him – he knows – sits Ino. They've purposefully been set up in such a position, with their team in one single file, the sun at their backs, stretching their shadows forward. Hands forming a seal under the desk, words whispered, and Shikamaru connects his shadow with Chōji. They both start writing answers at the same time, characters the exact same with no difference between them. In this moment, they appear to be the same person. Later, when they're both done, Ino will project herself into Shikamaru's mind and get the answers herself. They will work as a team, because this is a team test despite its initial appearance.

_(And teammates don't leave someone stranded.)_

Sakura quickly fills in an answer for the seventh question. She's skipped about four so far, aware that they expect her to cheat, and wants to try her best first. It would be easier to cheat, and get all the answers, but this is partially a test of intelligence as well. As long as she makes sure at least five of her answers are correct. Like any ninja worth their chakra, she'd checked her surroundings before sitting down, identifying where people sat – and where their test papers laid.

Thus, it's simply to reach down, as if scratching her leg, and carefully bump a kunai out of her weapons pouch. She immediately softly mumbles an apology, bending over and scrambling to pick it up with her right arm, left hand pressed against the underneath of the table hiding a second kunai. It takes her a moment to get the kunai in a good position, and then she picks up the one she had pretended to drop, _(sneakiness is a trait that all ninjas learn and know well)_.

Thankfully, she's managed to get the kunai in the right spot – giving a warped reflection of someone else's paper. It's not the best picture, and it takes a fair amount of Sakura's concentration to understand what she's reading – but it works, and that's all that she really needs. She wonders how the others are going. Shikamaru probably can answer the questions without cheating, and work with both Chōji and Ino so that they have answers. Hinata – only a few desks away – is obviously using her kekkei genkai, and the soft barking that can be heard above warnings to various genins and rustling of paper must be Akamaru and Kiba working together. It's likely that Shino is simply using his insects to aid him, even if Sakura doesn't quite understand how it all works. That means only her team have to work harder.

_(That's also okay, because hard work pays off. Always.)_

Meanwhile, like the other Konoha ninjas, Naruto and Sasuke are doing their best, scribbling down answers to the occasional question they can understand. Sakura's stuck at one of the front desks, Naruto on the desk situated behind her, and Sasuke behind him. From Sasuke's position, he can clearly see the kunai she's using as a mirror. And although he can't copy her, he can copy her method of cheating – just altered slightly.

Taking off his hitai-ate, Sasuke pretends to polish it, before placing it on his desk, angling it so that he can see the test papers around him, _(any ninja is proud of their hitai-ate, but only a genin would be expected to be so vain about it; by pandering to the low expectations and meeting stereotypes, he is underestimated)_. He answers the questions he can see, and then guesses the remaining few, adding bits of his own thoughts and changing the word.

Finally, he's done and he sits back, looking in front of him, eyes on Naruto's back, _(the question on his mind is whether his teammate needs some help)_. The blonde taps his pencil against the desk and then stomps his foot, scratching his head as he does so. Beneath the table, Takuma raises his head, understanding Naruto's gesture and checking with Sasuke. Smiling, Sasuke nudges the wolf-dog with his foot, which is all the ninken needs to dart out of the table, jumping onto someone's desk with a loud bark and jumping for Akamaru, who instantly joins the chaos, starting a playfight, _(they may be separate teams but they are all Konoha ninjas)_. The moment Sasuke sees Naruto complete two answers, he whistles, and Takuma subsides shortly afterwards, cowering under Sasuke's desk at the shouting he receives from two nearby chūnins, _(it's a show, once again)_.

The moment they're gone, Sasuke pets the ninken on his head. Takuma had done well, adhering to his instructions perfectly, especially considering the fact he'd been unable to voice them, making things more difficult. Just in time too, as Ibiki shouts, "Time!"

"You will hear the tenth question shortly," Ibiki begins explaining. "Right now, you can make a decision over whether to leave this room or whether to answer this final question. If you leave this room, you fail the chūnin exam, and will have to take the next chūnin exam if you wish to be promoted. However, if you try to answer the question, only to fail, then you will lose the privilege of ever being able to take the chūnin exam and will remain a genin for the rest of your career!"

"You can't do that!" Someone shouts, and Sasuke looks over at the Takigakure ninja. "There have clearly been times when genins have failed parts of the chūnin exam and been able to take it at another time!"

Ibiki stares at the genin, silent, until the Takigakure ninja drops Ibiki's gaze, swallowing. "Are you in a habit of questioning your superiors, candidate fourteen? However, since I am in a charitable mood – for once, I will answer your question. The answer is… I am the one making the rules this time. So, what I say goes. GOT IT, CANDIDATE FOURTEEN?"

The Takigakure ninja nods, eyes wide. "Yes, sir!"

Grinning, Ibiki lets his gaze pass over all the genins sitting nervously at their desk. "Those not taking the tenth question, leave the room; now!"

Instantly, the Takigakure genin jumps out of their chair, quickly fleeing the room. "Candidate sixteen and twelve, due to your teammate withdrawing from the exam, you now fail." Two Takigakure ninjas get up, shooting venomous glares at Ibiki but they don't say anything. "Did I forget to mention," Ibiki drawls, "this is a pass or fail as a team, once again."

As a steady stream of genins start leaving the room, Sasuke catches Hinata's gaze, two desks away. The kunoichi winks at him, and Sasuke grins back. Ibiki, even if he does have some control over the rules for the chūnin exam, cannot keep people from retaking the chūnin exam as he doesn't have jurisdiction over other villages. More to the point, there are various Clan Heirs in the room, and they could easily raise hell if they are kept from having a chance to be chūnin. Sasuke's certain that Toru would, _(and it's so strange, to easily trust that Toru would have his back and do whatever he asks as long as it's something Toru would agree with)._

In front of Sasuke, Naruto appears to be judging everyone who's leaving. He taps his foot against one of his chair's legs. Sasuke sighs, even as Naruto points at Ibiki. "Oi! This has gone on long enough. Hurry up and get on with the next question! We're either going to pass or we won't! Get on with it!"

"Do you always shout at your superiors?" Ibiki asks, danger clear in his voice, a warning – a false one, Sasuke bets. "I'm getting very tired of _genins_ thinking they can shout at me and get away with it."

"You're not our superior though, not in this scenario," Sakura chirps, and Sasuke sees how this is going. "You're the supervising examiner and we are to listen to you, but you cannot give us orders, even as a Konoha jōnin. As genins, we are under the jurisdiction of our jōnin sensei, the Genin Corps Leader, and the Hokage, and only have to comply with orders directed from them. In this situation, of course. That's also only for Konoha genins."

"Hmmph," Ibiki grunts. "Well reasoned, pinkie. I will only ask all of you one more time, does anyone want to quit? This is your last chance."

No one moves, and it seems like no one even breathes. Even though he knows that he'll be able to take the chūnin exams again, Sasuke can't help but be anxious, adrenaline rushing through his veins and completely useless.

"Very well then. Everyone here…" Ibiki casts his eyes over the room, "passes!"

Sasuke forces himself not to slump back against his chair with a sigh, but spots Sakura doing it up in front. Meanwhile, Naruto laughs, loud and proud.

"I can't believe I was just tricked," one Kusagakure genin moans. "I can't believe everyone else left!"

Ibiki chuckles. "Indeed, it was a trick. There was no tenth question. In fact, whether you answered the nine questions correctly or not – that doesn't matter either." He pauses, clearly waiting for someone to ask the obvious question. Sasuke refuses to be that person.

"Whata was the point of it then?" A blonde Sunagakure genin asks – one of the Sunagakure ninjas on the team that Shikamaru had warned everyone about. She appears rather slow; Sasuke reckons the powerhouse on their team must be the younger redhead. Otherwise, they really shouldn't be partaking in the exam. Or maybe they were putting on a show, trying to have people underestimate them.

"Gathering intelligence is a vital part of your career as a ninja. Information can have a greater value than life at times. In fact, many ninjas in the past have undergone torture in order to spill information to their enemies." He unwraps his bandana, and reveals a scarred scalp. Sasuke knows scars, knows torture, knows that Toru has a mess of scarred tissue on his chest that hasn't faded, knows that Toru is missing the tops of his ears after being caught on a mission. He knows all of this… but he still finds himself horrified and staring at Ibiki's scalp.

Finally, Ibiki ties the bandana once again, hiding the scars and torture marks from sight. "The final decision given to you, whether to stay or leave, was designed to test how strong your belief was in your teammates and in yourself. Danger on missions is often unavoidable and missions with heavy risks do occur. In order to get through such a mission, you have to trust those you are completing the mission with. We gave you this question becau–"

The window shatters behind him, glass splintering and thrown forwards by momentum. Unable to see what or who's behind him, Sasuke pushes his weight into his hands, which are laid flat on the desk. He kicks out with his legs, knocking his chair backwards so it falls, and flips over his desk, landing next to Naruto. Around him, various other genins are in disarray, _(they may be safe here, may be protected as per agreements based on the Chūnin Exam Agreement)_, responding to the perceived danger. However, some haven't moved, remaining seating and only twisting to look at what's happening.

_(They're the weak ones, the ones to target, who aren't experienced enough in danger.)_

A fabric banner is pinned to the front of the classroom with two kunais. "I'm the examiner of the second trial for Konoha's chūnin exam this year! I am Anko Mitarashi! The second exam begins soon. Follow me!" She leaps out of the window, without a single glance at anyone.

"C'mon," Naruto immediately says, a hand encircling Sasuke's wrist and tugging on it. "Let's go!" Shooting a glance at Ibiki, Sasuke realises that the jōnin is simply waiting for everyone to leave.

"Alright," he agrees as Sakura joins them, whilst the majority of the other teams fight to leave through the doors first. "Let's go," he adds as he leaps out of the window. His team follows him, ready for whatever Konoha dares throw at them.

* * *

**And so, the chūnin exams begin. The first trial has been completed, but the true tests have only just begun. The dangers that await the participants are known to only a few, and everyone else must wait to see the outcome.**

* * *

_**Trying to get back into writing this is hard, especially when there's occasionally a script I need to actually follow and I have no idea where the hell to find it. I doubt I'll have much to say right now for this chapter, but I'm honestly just eager to get to some interesting bits and pieces. **_

_**Honestly, the conversation with the jonins and Toru was just to show some of the character development for Kakashi and Toru's assimilation with the other senseis of the genin teams. We haven't seen Gai and his team yet, but they've been buzzing around. **_

_**The chunin exam is pretty straight forward to be honest. There's a lot of mentions of ninjas being sneaky, because that's what has been hammered into their heads. Naturally, the exam is slightly different with not everything being the same, because of Toru's interferences and my own decision that I didn't want it to be simply repeating canon script. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm going to try and write the next one soon!**_


	10. Artifice

"We have to get by through our own skills," Tenten explains to the younger genins. Her teammates nod in agreement, with varying excitement levels. "We've been genins for just over one year, and whilst we're still young in terms of a chūnin promotion, it'd be expected we pass on our own skills. Not to mention, our own starting position is some distance from you lot. It'd be easier to work by ourselves."

"If pushed we would be able to make it," Lee says. "Training Ground 44 is massive, but one of our team's best skills is our speed."

"However, it would more likely a disadvantage to us," Neji murmurs. "I am sorry, Hinata-san, but as a team, we must refuse your request."

Hinata smiles at her cousin. "That's okay, Neji-kun, I didn't think it would work; it was a bit of a long shot." As a trio, Team Gai head towards their starting gate. "Okay, where do we want to meet then?" The Hyūga asks the other Konoha rookie genins. Due to only being genins for six months, they've decided to work together for the second trial after it had been explained. As a group, they'd be able to have a better defence and offense, and outnumber their targets, meaning they'd be more likely to pass the trial. Not to mention, Konoha needs a good showing, and this will give Konoha a better chance.

"What about on the south side of the tower, about five clicks away?" Sasuke offers, trying to remember the map they had only seen briefly. "I think it was about equal distance from our respective starting gates."

"That sounds correct," Shikamaru muses. "Meet in the trees?"

"Of course!" Kiba says, Akamaru barking an agreement from his head.

A voice called out, "Ten minutes until the second trial of the chūnin exams begins! All participants need to be at their gates in six minutes or they will forfeit their right to a chūnin promotion in this exam."

Without another word, the nine genins split into their teams and take off at a steady lope to get to their gates. At their gate, Team Kakashi mill about, impatiently waiting for the gate to open and the trial to begin. It's far too open to discuss any plans about the scroll they'd received or plans to retrieve a second scroll in the training ground.

"How many trials in total do you think there'll be?" Naruto asks as they wait for the final minutes to pass them by.

"Well, this is the second trial and will cut the numbers in half, as the examiner mentioned," Sakura says. "They've tested information gathering and this will test teamwork and leadership, I suppose, not to mention tracking and trapping and everything."

"There should be another trial to test individual fighting skills," Sasuke adds. "But there'll be a lot of rounds currently, even with the teams cut in half due to this round."

Humming, Naruto considers what he knows about the chūnin exams. They usually try to test all skills needed for a chūnin, and the most important is whether a ninja can hold their own against another ninja by themselves. "The chūnin exams are scheduled to go for just over a month this time, and this will only take a week. So… maybe they'll give us all time between this trial and a third trial focussing on attacking?"

_(No one is surprised by his assumptions or his knowledge; he wishes to be Hokage and so he will learn all he can. He may not be a genius or a prodigy, but he is a hard worker, and hard work pays off.) _

"What would you do if there were too many teams partaking in a fighting round?" Sakura asks, directing her question at Naruto.

"Preliminary match," Naruto answers after pausing. "Give participants a break between the preliminary match and the final trial. Make the final trial some big fancy thing to bring in revenue and celebrate it as an event to showcase Konoha's strength. You'd need to tighten security and be preparing for it months in advance, but it'd give candidates to show their strategy off in one round and their power in another."

"Then we operate on the basis that that's going to happen," Sasuke advises. "Try to keep some strength and power ready in case there's something at the end of this trial. That'd be the best time for a preliminary trial." Before his teammates can answer, a buzzer goes off and the gates open automatically. Ahead of them, the forest awaits.

Upon entering, they take themselves up to the highest branches on one of the trees, an area where only Konoha ninjas – or unwise ninjas – would go. The tree sways from their weight, not due to the wind, and still they remain there. Above the majority of the trees, it feels less humid, _(away from the ground, they can almost pretend that there's nothing but the open sky, the treetops, and them)._

"What do we have in terms of supplies?" Sakura asks.

"Not much," Naruto replies. "We are so unprepared for this, caught with our weapons sheathed, to say the least. Good news is that we have water, and I've got a few ration bars from our last mission in my sealing scroll."

"I've got my smaller first aid kit," Sakura reports. "I've also got water, and two sealing scrolls."

"Two bottles with water, foldable bowl for Takuma, ration bars that will last all three of us two days, sealed food that will last Takuma a week, and a spare sealing scroll that's empty," Sasuke adds. "We also have a Heaven Scroll and need to find ourselves an Earth Scroll."

"The scroll can be a problem for when we meet with the others," Sakura says. "Right now, our immediate problem is that we don't have enough food. Sasuke, can we use your spare scroll to store any food we come across? I reckon if we come across any teams, we attempt to target them for resources and – if we can – grab some scrolls."

"This is Training Ground 44," Naruto points out. "The one with the megafauna. There should be heaps of food and small prey skittering about. However, what we do have to watch out for are the predators around here."

"That said, this training ground is open to genins and above," Sasuke points out. "So, we should be able to fight anything natural that gets in our way. However, I'm going to be relying on taijutsu for the most part, as fire ninjutsu is… unadvisable here." His teammates laugh in response, and Sasuke smiles at them. "Shall we head towards the others then?"

When everyone agrees, the group of four walk halfway down the tree and set off at a rapid pace. Even when they pass other teams, no one looks at them – no one ever looks up, although they really should. They're in Konoha after all.

_(Do they not know what Konoha's name is? Konoha is the village hidden in the trees, and their name is for a reason.) _

* * *

"That's two Earth Scrolls we need and one Heaven Scroll," Kiba sums up. "We have any plans for what we want to do?"

"Ideas?" Naruto asks, looking around at their small group, _(and they had been waiting to hear what he wanted, because already they look to him, stand beside him, they chose him as leader whether they – or he – is aware of it or not)._

"Use the ninken to find teams, have a scouting group attempt to find out which scroll they have and then have an attacking team get the scroll if it's one we need," Sasuke offers.

"Split into two groups and have both teams go on the hunt for scrolls. When one team manages to achieve a scroll, send a ninken to the other team and regroup," Hinata says.

"If you wanted, we could split into our individual groups of three and then have Hinata's team scout. If they locate a team, then your team attack and our team act as backup and be the defensive team for the scrolls. Take any scrolls and resources we find and attempt to eliminate the competition as much as we can, and – with any luck – make the preliminary round unnecessary," Ino says.

"If everyone is going to the tower, in the end. Should we not simply set up a trap there?" Shino asks.

"I agree with Shino," Chōji says. "If we set up a perimeter around the tower, we can separate into two groups and take the scrolls from everyone who comes into contact with us. That way we're likely to get the scrolls we need in almost half the time and take out some of the competition whilst we do so. Also, wasn't there a stream near the tower? Means there should be some good resources. Pretty sure I know some of the edible berries in the plants around here, and also the poisonous ones."

There's a pause, and when no one talks, Naruto claps his hands softly. "Alright, well Shino and Chōji's plan sounds the best. So, we'll work with that. I'm thinking we'll set up a trap relatively close the river, since people will probably travel near the river so they have water. There should only be one entrance as well, and the river is likely to be close to the doorway. We'll all set up the traps altogether and try to direct the team towards Team Kakashi, and we'll be the attackers, along with Team Asuma. Team Kurenai, you're our scouters. Send Akamaru in advance if you've spotted a team. If they're not going the right way, try to hassle them into our paths. If you need help, the normal signals all apply. Any problems?"

"I think it is a good plan," Shikamaru says at last, when no one else speaks, _(and the Nara is a genius, and has the potential to succeed anywhere he wishes to direct his potential, but he ties his potential up with words and policies, his fighting skills are simply on par with where he wishes to go, but he doesn't focus on planning or war strategy or any such thing; he leaves that for the others.)_

"The–" Naruto pauses as both Takuma and Akamaru stiffen. "Hide, my team remain."

The other six genins take to the trees, Akamaru following Kiba up, setting themselves in places where they will be hidden by foliage, but ready to attack if needed, _(they are all equal but here they take orders and listen to the person they decided would lead them; here, they hide in the trees and wait for what will come; here, they are together and so they will fight as a team; here, they are Konoha ninjas regardless of their rank)._

Three genins enter the clearing – Otogakure. All three appear to be wearing snake-skin scarfs, and a distinct appearance. However, none of them appear to have a speciality of any kind, Sasuke notes. The middle genin, the team leader at a guess, appears the most dangerous, with bandages wrapped around most of their body and a hunched back. Ordinarily, he would assume that by having only a left eye, the genin is weaker on his right side. However, as Kakashi is Sasuke's teacher, he knows better than to make such assumptions.

"So, this is the renowned Sasuke Uchiha, hmm?" The kunoichi of the group says, stalking closer. Sasuke doesn't move, even as his chakra fluctuates and he feels rattled. Beside him, Takuma growls, a low, dangerous sound. The kunoichi doesn't notice. She flicks her hair over her shoulder. "Doesn't look like much."

"Kin," another genin says, still not the team leader. "Our Kage wants us to test his skills, not make heart eyes at him."

"I am not!" The girl says shrilly, but she doesn't turn around to attack her fellow genin in anger. Clearly, despite their arguments, these three are willing to work as a team, _(it marks them as dangerous)_.

"We are to test his skills," the team leader finally speaks, voice crackly and raspy, as if he is sick. "And ensure one of us returns with a report," he adds, slightly slower, softer, as if there is something important about the order.

Although rattled, _(with fear rising up his throat like oil, thick and slow and disgusting by itself, because why are they after him and what if they're after Toru as well and what about his family, are they safe),_ Sasuke waits, watching his teammates and waiting, even though everything in him is screaming to attack. He is more than his instincts, though, and so he will listen to reason and continue to wait.

The pause stretches out, and Naruto clicks his tongue. Sasuke launches forward, Takuma by his side. Hands glowing green, Sakura neatly flips into the air. Calling up three shadow clones and one water clone in quick succession, Naruto jumps into the fray. Above the clearing, in the branches, the others wait and watch and gather intelligence, ready to help if needed to, even if they aren't asked.

Sasuke and Takuma engage the shinobi that isn't a team leader, leaving the dangerous-looking one to Naruto and his formidable ninjutsus, _(it pays to be dangerous, but sometimes it pays to be able to completely outnumber your opponent and be dangerous that way)_, leaving the kunoichi for Sakura with her tendency to fight with pinpoint accuracy, _(sometimes being female means having a slightly weaker body, preparing to face shinobi who are strong through sheer muscle power, and having a backup plan in case you come across someone like this)_.

As Sasuke charges forward, the shinobi he faces raises his arms. Not sure what the attack could be, but assuming there is one, he pushes chakra into his feet and leaps up, avoiding the blow. He comes down, one leg extended, and misses his opponent, who jerked back at the last second.

"You can't defeat me!" They say, meeting Sasuke's gaze evenly, and it's clear that this is overconfidence speaking. They're watching Sasuke, watching his hands, his legs, paying attention to the way he will attack next. Paying attention to him, as if he fights alone, as if he isn't part of a team, as if he doesn't have a ninken. "I can propel air pressure and stop you from attacking!"

Sasuke hesitates in his actions, but not because he is worried. He's read fictional narratives, a long time ago, where enemies always gave explanations for their abilities or their plans, monologuing and giving away all their information. He'd thought such a thing only happened in stories. He's a ninja, and so despite the strangeness of it all, he will take the information and use it against his opponent. After all, the ability to propel air pressure is only helpful if you can keep up with your opponent.

_(Ninjas are fast, in the trees or on the ground, with the ability to boost themselves faster with chakra. Ninken are fast, both naturally and with the aid of chakra, shooting across distances and covering areas that not all ninjas can traverse as easily. Sasuke is fast naturally, his genetics give him the structure he needs to be quick, and he has trained his speed. Most of all, though, he looks to Toru who tries to run so fast he flies, who runs fast because he can, who runs fast to remembers a cousin he held dear, and so Sasuke tries to run fast as well.) _

_(He may only be a genin, but he is fast for a genin.)_

His opponent places his hands out in front of him, clearly preparing to attack Sasuke. In response, Sasuke pushes himself to move quickly, shooting forward to duck under his enemy's arms, punching the other genin in the sternum. Behind his opponent, Takuma darts low, securing a leg in her mouth and crunching down. Their opponent yells in pain, and Sasuke grabs their arm and yanks on it, dislocating it with brutal efficiency. As he does so, he hears a grunt from Naruto. However, wrapped up with his own enemy, Sasuke can do nothing as he quickly secures the genin with wire and steals their weaponry and resources. He drops it a pile nearby, even as he pivots to check on his teammates.

Sakura's got a kunai to the kunoichi's – Kin's – throat, and Naruto is standing off-balanced in front of the team leader, and the other genins have grouped around them, prepared to attack if the need arose. It's a stand-off and a checkmate.

The team leader of the Otogakure genins surveys their surroundings, before kneeling on the ground. "I surrender on behalf of my team."

"Dosu!" The kunoichi hisses, "We need to fulfil our orders!"

"We have Kin," the genin replies. "They will kill you if we do not surrender."

"I would be proud to die for this!" Kin replies.

Sakura takes that moment to knock her out. She shrugs when the others look at her. "She was never going to surrender."

"No, she was not," Dosu agrees.

"What scroll do you have?" Naruto asks as he straightens with a stagger.

"We have an Earth Scroll," the only non-incapacitated Otogakure genin replies.

Wiggling his fingers, Naruto extends a hand. "Toss it here then." It's only when everyone tenses, he's realised he's made a mistake, _(everyone makes mistakes, ninjas just can't afford to make many)._ Thankfully, though, Dosu doesn't attempt to attack, only throwing them a scroll. "One down, two to go," Naruto reports to the genins surrounding him. "Let's head out."

* * *

Dosu Kinuta has been loyal to Orochimaru for as long as he can remember, _(he has always been loyal but he doesn't remember who he had been, he only remembers waking up in pain and then darkness and, from out of nowhere, Orochimaru's face and no pain)_. He has always been loyal, given his all for Otogakure. He had believed in his village, in their people, trusted that their Kage was doing the right thing, _(those with body modifications are normal and Oto takes anyone in, so surely it was a good place)_.

This mission had been irritating him ever since they got their orders. Infiltrating the chūnin exams had hardly been simple or easy, but they'd had harder missions. But… Orochimaru had told them to test Sasuke Uchiha's skills and make sure at least one person returned alive to report. The wording had indicated that he didn't think their team would survive, that only one person would come back to Oto, _(he is not a pawn to be used as a sacrifice for something greater than him; there is no reason to die due to the Uchiha's attacks or those of Konoha's various other genins; if it had been for Oto and their people, he would've bowed his head without second guessing it, but this is not for Oto). _

Their team is a mix and match of people. Zaku is a body modified ninja and loyal to their Kage, overconfident and arrogant. However, he listens to Dosu slightly. The pair had been on three missions as partners and with other teammates. Dosu has led all three missions and saved Zaku's life four times over the course of the three missions. In return, Zaku had saved his life once, _(Oto does not care for teamwork, but rather whether you complete the mission; teams are put together solely for the mission, there are no genin teams, there are just ninjas combined for the common purpose of completing the mission)_. Even if Zaku isn't loyal to him, he cared a little bit.

Nonetheless, he knows far too well that if it came down to their Kage versus him, he would go down.

Kin had been pushed onto them last minute, a reflection of Konoha's usual one kunoichi and two shinobis on a team. She'd run one mission with them, failing to listen to his instructions and picking fights with Zaku along the way. Only on this mission, she had finally listened to his few orders. Still, she didn't care for either of them, _(if she had the option of leaving them behind to die, he knows she wouldn't hesitate to do it)._

He has no weapons or resources now. Kin is unconscious in a tied-up slump to his left, Zaku tied up and awake on his right. Meanwhile, his hands are tied above his head, leaving him to almost hang from a branch. The wire is tight enough that if he dared pull himself up, it'd cut deep into his wrists and he'd bled out and die. The trunk of the tree is too far away to be of any use to him, _(they had been smart, their opponents, and he had been overconfident and too busy questioning orders to pay attention to the danger in front of him; he'd only stopped fighting because he wished for his teammates to live)_.

Something trembles in his chest.

The humidity of Konohagakure is strange, and he's sweltering beneath his layers. Still, he's always known it to be better to hide his skin away, to cover everything, to make people look at his odd appearance and think it strange, to not have them look at his skin and consider why he looks the way he does. Except…

Except, maybe that was something Oto had taught him – maybe he had concluded that himself. There is no reason to hide his skin, even with the scars that crawl across him.

"Zaku," he calls, pitching his voice so the other shinobi heard him.

Zaku groans, but manages to lift himself to his knees, and meets his teammate's eyes. "I got enough information to report to-"

"He's using us as pawns," he hisses out, sharp and cutting. "Zaku, we're being used! He doesn't care if we live or die. This is probably our only chance to get out of Oto's service and live afterwards."

"You're talking treason," Zaku replies, shocked, _(and although there are no teammates in Oto, he has to try and convince his teammate to join him, even if such an attempt is futile)._

"We could be free," Dosu replies, even as he knows it won't work. He pauses, looking around, and heaves a sigh. "Looks like no one's around," he says, catching Zaku's wide-eyed gaze. "If there was anyone planning to attack, they would've done it whilst we were arguing."

"Do you have a plan to escape?" Zaku asks eagerly. "I can't use my arms in the condition they're in."

"Your best bet is to rest now," he replies as he shakes his head. "We can't do anything until Kin's awake." Grumbling, Zaku does as advised, and sits himself against a tree trunk awkwardly, closing his eyes.

Soon enough, Zaku's breathing evens out as he slips into a deep sleep. It'd been a weakness that Dosu had constantly told Zaku to work on, _(but no longer)_. Zaku is a deep sleeper, and he is going to use that weakness to his advantage. Kin is still out, and he doesn't trust her that much anyway.

Knowing what he does now, he wants to leave Oto behind whilst he can. Leaving during the chūnin exams, when their Kage clearly has something planned for the near future, is his best bet to get away freely. Konoha has its own slums and people who hide in the street shadows and work as part of the Underground, _(he might not remember much beyond waking up with their Kage above him, but he has taken mission after mission and learnt where no one looks)_.

There is no easy way to escape his binds, and it is too dangerous to do many of the normal ways to escape bindings. Thankfully, the little slack in regards to the wire is the best thing that's happened in relation to this whole fight. It allows him to rest more weight in the balls of his feet and then leap up, swinging his body so that his legs loop over the branch where the wire is tied to. Now hanging upside down, he needs to figure out what to do with these wires.

The good news is that the genins hadn't considered his chakra abilities. Even with his wrists tied, he's able to channel wind chakra to his fingers and slice through the wire that keeps him attached to the branch. Unarmed and hampered by the wire, he's not going to be able to fight anyone who decides that he's in their way, _(the Konohagakure genins may have thought themselves kind, leaving him alive, but it would be all too easy to die when another genin came across him and assumed that it'd be an easy kill; he's all too aware how much some ninjas enjoy killing)_. Shifting so he's sitting upright on the branch, he looks around, trying to spy the shine of metal.

Thankfully, he quickly spots grey metal sunken deep into a tree trunk, a few trees over. Awkwardly, he carefully pushes chakra to his feet and stands on the branch. Anchored as he is by his chakra, he doesn't fall despite wobbling. The Konohagakure ninjas they'd been fighting had taken to the trees easily, not even bothering to hide much. The implication there is that no one ever looks up, meaning that for an injured ninja, it should be a safe place to be.

Finally, _at last,_ he reaches the kunai and can quickly use the blade to cut through the wire. Breathing a sigh of relief, he checks up on his wrists. There are cuts where the wire had sat, and they're bleeding heavily, but they aren't deep cuts. With free hands, he's able to remove the straw raincoat from his back. It's not like he needs it now. There's no way straw blends into his surroundings at all. However, what he's really wanting is what he's been hiding beneath the straw raincoat. Unstrapping the rucksack, he rummages through it, glad he'd thought to pack his first aid kit and spare resources. Not bothering to avoid getting blood everywhere, he quickly ties bandages around his wrists. The white quickly turns pink, already becoming a dark red, but the bleeding seems to be slowing.

With a nudge of his foot, the straw raincoat falls from the branch, flopping onto the forest ground pitifully. The Oto hitai-ate follows it, dropping from his hand without a second thought, _(and all the meaning of dropping the hitai-ate is not lost on him; he knows what it means, he knows what he's doing now)_. Following it, the snake-patterned scarf drops, along with the resonating echo speaker, and then the long-sleeved poncho. He pulls off the snake-patterned armour pants, leaving him in his muddled grass-green shorts he normally wears in Oto no Kuni.

Standing on the branch, he glances down at all the gear that Oto has given him. Now, he only has one thing left to do – make his teammates think he's dead. He notes, distantly, that his hands are shaking, adrenaline impacting him in a way it shouldn't because he is a ninja and has trained himself out of such reactions, _(they trained him, taught him everything he knows, because he had woken up with no memories and they had promised to help him; he knows now that they only wished to send him off to slaughter, why didn't he see the signs earlier)._

A growl fills his hearing, the sound low and dangerous. Jumping to another tree, he looks down to see a giant tiger eating the remains of a deer carcass. It's perfect for his plans.

Knowing the danger of the tiger's claws and teeth, he leaps down and grabs a deer leg, and jumps back into the trees, just avoiding the tiger's attack. The creature roars, and he darts off, leading the creature back to where his teammates had been. Enough time has passed that Zaku is likely to be waking up from his sleep and Kin's unconscious state is wearing off.

At least, he hopes so, _(he doesn't wish for his teammates to die, he cares for them in a way that Oto has never celebrated)_. He reaches the branch he'd been tied to before the tiger reaches the clearing and uses chakra to head higher into the tree, situating the deer remains on a high branch and out of view from the ground.

There's another roar, this time there's a high-pitched scream – Kin – and a loud shout – Zaku. Even though he knows he should go, _(and knows a good ninja never forms ties although he has never followed that rule),_ he pauses, ensuring that his _(once-)_teammates are safe. When they manage to get into the trees and keep themselves out of harm, he turns away.

He may not be smart or have a photographic memory, may only be a good ninja because he occasionally thinks, because he can hear sound and understand it no one else seems to, because their _(not his anymore, never his now)_ Kage gave him a weapon and taught him to use it, because he was strong when paired with his given weapon, _(and now he sees that they made him dependent on something they could take away, gave him a weakness that they could easily exploit; he will not give them the chance to destroy him)_. However, he did try and vaguely remember the map of Training Ground 44. It's why he knows if he keeps running for an hour or so, he'll reach the section of fencing that has no gates.

He's a ninja and sneaky, and he can escape without detection. From there, he only needs to stick to the back alleyways and shadows and make his way to the areas where the Underground is strongest, _(people whisper and start rumours and so few people pay attention to them)_.

Slipping over the fence is much easier than he expected. To be fair though, he doubts Konohagakure ninjas assumed people would be escaping over the side. Not to mention, there's the whole fence stopping most people, and the aim of the trial is to reach the tower. Still, it's a large hole in their security that they may want to patch. Not that it matters, because he doesn't care about Konohagakure or Oto or anywhere, he just wants to get away from it all. It's not like he can be a ninja, _(in deciding to leave he has to leave what he has always relied on, and in doing so, he has made himself much, much weaker). _

The hardest part had been leaving his teammates behind, even if they aren't friends, even if Kin didn't care if they or she lived or died, even if Zaku only cared enough to save his life. He doesn't know how they came to Oto or what their favourite food is or anything. He only knows their weaknesses and their strengths and how they fight, _(and they faced down nine genins in a forest far from home, sent to die, and he looked at all those genins and thought they were friends and that being teammates meant something here)_. The easiest part is making his way through shadows and into areas that no ninjas go to and only the worst civilians go, where gangs and crime are rampant and no one cares enough to stop it.

His instincts blare as he steps into a seemingly normal alley. Like the others he's traversed, it's shadowy and dirty, a few metal bins are by the other end, three crates next to where a wooden pallet leans against a wall. Still, he's been a ninja long enough to know to pay attention to his instincts, to listen.

From next to the bins, a person unfolds themselves out from the shadows. The person's small, a child, and appears about the same height as him, _(no one ever questioned why his back was hunched, no one ever thought it strange for him to be a ninja with such a condition that impacted his flexibility and movement, and so he never told anyone that he's just overly short and keeps a rucksack on his back that causes him to appear that way; no one ever knows and so no one truly knows what he looks like)_. Their hair is pulled back into a ratty plait falling down onto her back. Yet, a single braid falls next to her face with beads decorating it.

"You shouldn't be here shinobi," the child says, narrowed eyes.

He bows his head, trusting that he is stronger than this civilian street child. "Please, I need help getting out of Konohagakure."

"You're not ours ta deal with," the child says, stepping forward. She pauses, glancing at him as he lifts his head, hope taken from him, his plans ruined. "Konoha's Underground is ours ta control and we don't deal with ninjas. But… Ryuu haunts the streets tonight. Come, you'll meet with 'im."

"Thank you," he says, stepping forward to follow her. "Thank you."

"You're running," the girl returns. "We've all run at some point. And so, we'll try ta aid when we can. You're young, a child, still. It gives you safety just as it gives ya danger."

Not quite knowing how to respond, he keeps silent and trials the girl, who leads him on a twisting, winding path that has them doing loops and keeping far away from others. Only once, do they come across someone else, who looks down as they pass and doesn't watch after them, _(he does not know what to make of this; he doesn't understand why someone controls the Underground here, why he is following her, why he is doing anything he is right now, but he wants to live and so he will do what he must)_.

His guide comes to a stop by a warehouse, and two other street kids close ranks around him. He knows he could take them out – but he doesn't want to. "Masuyo," a cloaked figure greets.

"Don't know much so can't tell you much, Ryuu. 'E seemed like 'e needed help, and so I brought 'im ta you. We don't get ninjas tryin' ta get themselves smuggled out of Konoha. We don't get ninjas in our business," the girl – Masuyo – responds.

"Good thinking," Ryuu replies, "as always." The person directs their attention at him, and he feels like shrinking beneath his gaze, but he doesn't, _(he won't)_. "So, why are you here? And tell the truth or this will take a new direction."

The Underground is dangerous, he knows this. He doubts this is some random person in front of him. This person is dangerous, and they don't care that he's a ninja. That means this person thinks that they can take him and… he has a feeling that that isn't overconfidence or arrogance speaking, _(he knows overconfidence and arrogance and this isn't it)._

"I… I was a shinobi of Otogakure, but their Kage treats everyone like pawns, like sacrifices. The mission is what matters not how many people return and I don't- I don't agree with that! So, so I'm not going to be. Be a shinobi of Oto. My teammates will think I died in the chūnin exams and so will Oto and its Kage and I'm going to go and never come back," he says, words short and frustrated and he sounds like a fumbling child who can barely speak, but how he can he say such things easily, _(how do you smoothly and easily talk about betraying a village and running for your life)_.

"And so now, who are you?"

He stutters, trying to find words, a description, because he is who he has been but he doesn't want to be who he is anymore and-

A hum, and the person smiles at Masuyo who leaves with two others. "Do you wish to take a new name, perhaps? Many do for various reasons."

_(His name means to serve and he doesn't want that anymore, by stripping his name away from him, he moves himself out of servitude and a life as a pawn, by taking a new name, he claims a new life for himself.)_

He nods. "I think- I think I would like a new name, but…"

"It will take time to decide upon a name, and so now the question is, what do you wish to do now? Leave Konoha, feasible and doable, but you cannot hide who you are. Your chakra will mark you as a ninja, even if you no longer call yourself one."

"I- I can't though, I don't have the power I did, I've just got my basic skills! A genin could beat me right now!" He immediately panics, because he hadn't thought of that, he'd assumed everything would be fine the moment he was far away from Konohagakure.

The cloaked figure tilts their head. "Perhaps what you need is a safe place to hide as you refine your skills," they say. "The logistics are going to be a nightmare, since you'll need a teacher and a safe place to stay or…" They pause. "I can get you somewhere safe to a place where the people will look out for you and teach you. However, we have secrets that if they are ever heard, will kill so many of us. If we help you, you can never tell of us until the time comes."

"I can't trust you," he replies, "but… I will give you this." He can't help but wonder what will happen if he breaks his word.

The person nods and a cockroach appears in a puff of smoke. "Yamato-san, can you take this ninja to my people? He is on the run from Oto."

The cockroach leaps onto his shoulder, and he twitches, but doesn't jerk away. "What's your name?" The small insect asks. "Gotta have a name so I can introduce you."

"Kaito," he decides, liking how the name rolls of his tongue, how it rings of freedom and choice. "My name's Kaito."

"Well, mine's Yamato," the summon replies, turning to face its summoner. "I'll take him through the back of the compound and then away."

"Thank you, Yamato-san," the person says, before looking back at him, _(at Kaito, because that's who he now, that's who he wants to be, and Kaito will be better than whoever he had once been)_. "We will meet again, and I looked forward to seeing your progress."

He bows, because he is grateful even if he knows there is danger everywhere. "Thank you, Ryuu-san," he says, and when he looks up, he's alone.

* * *

For someone rather quiet, Shino's laughter is rather loud for him, chuckles and giggles that are half smothered behind his hands. His laughter is merited, the surprise on Sasuke and Hinata's face upon both not being the first to the tower is rather comical. They hadn't expected anyone to beat them, although they probably had forgotten that Shino'd been the one defending the scrolls, _(they will all smile and laugh at a harmless trick played well)._

Sasuke huffs and Hinata grins at Shino as the others catch up to them. "Do you wish to do the honours?" Hinata asks her teammate, extending a hand at the door. Shino's shoulders shudder and his head moves the way it does when he rolls his eyes. She laughs, even as the pain in her left hand reminds her of her broken fingers.

"I will not keep you waiting," Shino replies as he opens the door. "Let us finish this."

Naruto jumps forward with a loud shout of excitement, _(and they are genins and ninjas, but… sometimes they are reminded they are still children)_. "We did it! Before the time limit too! With like no difficulties!"

Supported by Chōji and supporting Chōji alongside Kiba, Shikamaru follows Naruto into the plain room. Hinata surveys their group as they all enter and cluster together. They're not too bad off, but tired and aching with minor injuries. Sakura's eye has gone puffy and black, giving her an awkward appearance with one squinty eye. Naruto's fine, of course, but Sasuke's limping even though he denies having twisted his ankle. Shikamaru has low chakra, but he's recovering. Shino and Kiba are scratched and bruised but otherwise uninjured. Chōji's got a deep cut on his leg and Ino is the worst off due to her broken arm, and then there's Hinata with her broken fingers.

"The scrolls?" Hinata asks, eyeballing the sentences written on one wall but not feeling up to putting it altogether right now.

Shino produces the scrolls and hands two to Naruto. The blonde boy grins and goes to the other end of the room, opening the scrolls and then quickly retreating back to the other genins, ready to face a potential threat, _(ready for whatever may happen)_.

Smoke bursts from the scrolls and then their old Ninja Academy teacher appears. He smiles at them, kind as always, "Congratulations on passing round two of the chūnin exams!"

* * *

**And so, the Rookie Nine officially pass the second trial of the chūnin exams. Meanwhile, Toru makes a dangerous decision and tries to save a genin who decides to leave their village. **

* * *

_**So, I was writing this and thinking how the chunin exams were fairly straightforward and that it would be boring to write about how they survived the forest when they only deal with three major fights - the one against the sand team, and then two others with Team Asuma and Team Kurenai to grab two more scrolls. I didn't think I would be able to write a whole chapter of it. **_

_**There's no Orochimaru here because Sasuke doesn't have the sharingan, so that's a major change. There's also no Kabuto because Konoha did a massive investigation for spies, during which Kabuto escaped rather than be caught. So, there's very little that happens in terms of the second trial, it's largely the same. Thus, I came to the decision that I'd do something with Toru and only have half the chapter dealing with the chunin exams and then...**_

_**Well, I was reading about Team Dosu (Kin, Zaku, and Dosu) to get an understanding about how they fought and would react to everything. During this, I noticed that Dosu was noted for deciding to pretty much hate Orochimaru upon realising he was a pawn. With that in mind, I worked it so that Dosu decided he didn't want to work with Oto, and it became something major that Dosu wanted to leave. There's some interesting wording about how he thinks and his entire struggle to separate himself from his teammates. Zaku, we have seen, is callous and doesn't care for Kin's life in the slightest, but he tries to help Dosu. Noting that, I worked on the basis that Dosu clearly had a better relationship with Zaku then with Kin. More to the point, Dosu actively tried to work with his teammates even though it would have been easier not to. Plus, it's clear that Orochimaru and Otogakure cares little for their teams and those in the teams (but also, Orochimaru has the loyalty of so many which means that he is important to those in Oto somehow and that they trust him). Thus, I came to the decision that Dosu would want to strike out and try to bring his teammate(s) if he could. However, when that failed, he was willing to take matters into his own hands and try to leave by himself. You get to see his adventure and him deciding to take on a new name. **_

_**Also, I'd like to note that the Konoha genins didn't think it through when they left the Oto team behind. However, Dosu knew how callous and dangerous ninjas could be, even genin, and wouldn't be surprised if he was killed when tied up, and so assumed that the Konoha genins were being cruel and dangerous themselves. **_

_**Anyway, I brush over the rest of the trial exam since it was just really boring. In essence, the Rookie 9 manage to secure two more scrolls through their plan mentioned earlier in the chapter, and they get injured, but they make it out in one piece for the most part, and that brought us to the end of this chapter. The good news is that we are heading towards some more interesting parts of this chapter... Namely everything that happens towards the end of the chunin exams and those arcs and my twists with them.**_


	11. Fight

_** TigrezzTail - Dosu was originally unplanned, but he exists now... So, I'm guessing he'll probably pop up again later. I do have some plans for him. I'm glad to hear that you're enjyoing the twists! I think I've got one or two more up my sleeve for this book.**_

* * *

A hand stuck in the ruff of Takuma's fur, Sasuke tilts his head up to see the Hokage and the other ninjas surrounding him. They'd been called out of the tower a day after arriving, led quickly by a jōnin who'd taken them straight out of Training Ground 44 and to a massive stadium, _(wooden walls and a sand ground and a platform so others can look down; he knows what this is; they are ninjas but he doesn't recall signing up for being a public fighter)_.

On his left, Sakura leans on his shoulder, _(reminding him that he isn't alone),_ and, in response, he rocks his weight back onto his heels, relaxing into Sakura. Next to Sakura, Naruto laughs, _(as he always does, because this is his happiness)_, and grins at his teammates.

A cough from the Hokage has them slipping into a ready position, preparing themselves for whatever orders their superior may have for them, _(they are ninjas, soldiers, and it shows)_. "Congratulations," the Hokage begins, "on passing the trials you've encompassed as part of the chūnin exam thus far. Due to the large number of teams that passed the second trial of the chūnin exam, there will be a preliminary round before the official third trial. Both this preliminary round and the third trial will be one-on-one battle scenarios. If any of you wish to withdraw from the fighting for immediate healing or you feel unable to continue participating, this is your chance."

Somewhere nearby from out of the crowd, Ino steps forward and half-bows to their Hokage. With her makeshift sling still on, _(they had done their best)_, she heads out of the arena, Hinata a half-echo of her actions moments later. "Unsurprising those two withdrew," Sakura murmurs to both Naruto and Sasuke. "Ino would be at a massive disadvantage due to her broken arm and Hinata would be unable to fight with two broken fingers especially due to her taijutsu style."

After waiting for a few moments more, during which a few other ninjas withdrew, the Hokage nods. A jōnin on his right steps forward, "I am Hayate Gekkō and will oversee this preliminary round. To your left, you will see a set of stairs leading up to tier one, where you will be able to view the fights that take place. Matches are random. Sakura Haruno of Konohagakure and Juro Yamamoto of Ishigakure could remain for the first match."

As the other genins file towards the staircase, Sasuke turns to face his teammate. With her pink hair in a bob that frames her face and her determined expression, Sakura looks every bit like the kunoichi she is. "Good luck, Sakura," Sasuke murmurs softly.

Naruto flashes her a grin, "You got this!" He says with a thumbs up. Sakura smiles at the other pair, before turning to face her opponent. Her teammates, knowing that they can do nothing now, jog over to the stairs and quickly make their way up.

Meanwhile, Sakura takes five steps back from her opponent – Juro Yamamoto. The Ishigakure-nin looks to be two or so years older, and confident with his experience in comparison to her, _(she may be young, but that doesn't equate to inexperienced – although, in peacetime, many assume such things)_. He stands easily, lacking any sign of tenseness or apprehension at the upcoming battle. Fortunately for Sakura, he doesn't appear to have any weapon providing him with a longer reach, as such a thing would nullify much of her fighting style, _(get in close and cause as much damage as you can)_.

The Konoha-nin acting as proctor for the match appears in a body flicker between the two ninjas. "The match ends when one or both of you are incapacitated or one of you yields to the other. Start!"

Sakura always knew that in any time she had to fight one-on-one, she would be facing a difficult battle. As a rookie genin and one without any clan training, she's at a disadvantage to many of Konoha's own genins and many of the genins from other villages taking the chūnin exam would have more experience than her. However, knowing that meant that she could plan with such disadvantages known. As a civilian ninja, she's a wildcard and her appearance – pink hair – tends to make people underestimate her, _(if she makes people underestimate her and appeals to their stereotypes and expectations, she can win)_.

Upon Gekkō disappearing out of her immediate sight, Sakura sidesteps, tossing a few kunais half-heartedly at Yamamoto, _(the first move is always a test, a check of reflexes and speed)_. The older genin easily dodges the kunais with a quirk of his lips, and throws a shuriken in response. It's easy for her to flip backwards, channelling chakra to her feet to stick to the wooden wall behind her. Crouching, she pushes off, flinging herself into the air and rapidly approaching her opponent.

Yamamoto flings four kunais at her followed by three shuriken. She quickly substitutes herself with the kunais she had thrown earlier, ending up a step-in front of Yamamoto. They both freeze for a bare moment, caught unprepared, and then Sakura finishes a set of four hand seals, stating, "Chakra Scalpel!" Her hands glow green with chakra that forms a sharp blade.

In response, Yamamoto dodges sideway, almost sprinting away from Sakura's deadly hands. However, Sakura has been training with Sasuke and Naruto and Kakashi and Toru and so many others. She spars with Team Gai on a regular basis, _(and knows speed, understands the danger of it, has trained herself to react quickly)_. Unlike others she knows, she may be unable to keep up a continuous fast pace for some time, but during quick taijutsu fights? This is part of her niche, _(without a large chakra pool, she needs something to give her an edge, and this is it)_.

Turning on her heel, Sakura lunges. A simple slash has Yamamoto twisting away, but with a chakra flare, the blade cuts a thin line on his arm. Not so confident now, the older genin tries to gain space, moving away from Sakura once more, _(he has realised she is not some civilian playing as a ninja, but is a kunoichi)_. However, rather than allowing such a thing to happen, the Konoha genin keeps close, lashing out with a kick that sends Yamamoto buckling. With her elbow – complete with its usual elbow protector – she slams down on his left shoulder, forcing him onto his knees, and slips around behind him, resting her hand – still glowing green – next to his throat, _(Konoha is not weak, and she has proven it)_.

"Yield," Yamamoto says loudly, and the proctor calls it. Sakura steps backwards, and gives Yamamoto a hand up.

"Good fight," she says kindly as the pair head towards the stairs. "Do you want me to heal your arm?"

The Ishigakure-nin pauses at the base of the stairs before nodding and gifting Sakura a smile, _(trust between two genins who do not necessarily have to trust one another; this is peace as they know it; this is a new generation)_. "Good fight," he agrees. "And thank you; that'd be good."

"Shikamaru Nara of Konohgakure versus Osamu Yotsuki of Kumogakure, please enter the arena," Gekkō calls once the first pair of genins have left the arena after what had been a fairly short fight.

As he takes the steps down, Shikamaru considers the multiple outcomes that may occur. Naturally, there's the immediate outcome of he either passes or he fails, but he refuses to restrict himself to such an easy outcome, _(refuses to restrict himself when applying limitations can get you killed)_. Rather, he considers the possible outcomes regarding to his position upon passing or failing – with injury or without, with chakra exhaustion, _(again),_ or not.

The day of rest has been rather helpful, aiding in Shikamaru recovering much of his chakra. However, the effects of suffering low chakra, almost dealing with chakra exhaustion, remain still. He's noticed his lax concentration and wandering attention; with any luck, adrenaline will mitigate the worst of the effects, _(one has to train to get to the point of being able to use adrenaline rather than have adrenaline negatively impact them, especially their ability to think clearly)_. It's important he retains his strategic mind during the fight, especially as he wishes to showcase his tactics here. The preliminary round is still part of the third trial, meaning that their showing here still has some input into whether or not they become chūnins.

The third trial is where Konoha will demonstrate their power and their strength, along with all the other hidden villages, _(showcase reasons why one village shouldn't want to go to war against Konoha)_. After all, it's common knowledge, _(common as long as you use your head and your ears),_ that the chūnin exams are used to discourage wars between hidden villages, and so that will be where Konoha will want a showing of strength. Thus, based on that prediction, it makes sense that he will need to use tactics here so he can have a more 'flashy' fight in the third trial, _(and it's incredibly weird to consider the fact that they're expected to fight in a flashy manner; they're ninjas and are meant to be stealthy)_.

Stepping out onto the arena ground, Shikamaru casts a glance at the Kumogakure-nin – Osamu Yotsuki. He knows that the Yotsuki Clan is one that is part of Kumogakure, and isn't it interesting that Kumogakure sent genins to enter the Konoha hosted chūnin exam after the brief conflict that arose numerous years ago in regards the Hyūga Clan, _(isn't it a sign of changes in the relationships between the villages and changes on the horizon)_. Such a thing had caused the antagonistic relationship between Hinata and Neji. However, that relationship had become increasingly more positive in recent years due to the removal of the original Hyūga seal, which had-

Not the point, though, Shikamaru reminds himself as he stops, turning to face his opponent. His wandering attention hasn't helped him here and has only proved to be a disadvantage and a major problem, _(knowing that it is a problem doesn't change the fact that it is a problem, unfortunately)_. Clearly, he needs a long nap soon. And, more to the point, he needs to end this fight quickly lest his lack of concentration result in disaster.

Yotsuki is a few years older than him and is part of the mismatch Kumogakure team – one that Ino had hypothesised as having come together for the exam only as they didn't work together very well and appeared rather unused to each other, _(they are information gatherers, of course they noticed)_. The fact that Yotsuki is now entering the chūnin exam, even though he's a year or two older than the average new chūnin, means that he's confident in his ability to be promoted to chūnin. It means that he is experienced enough and strong enough, whilst Shikamaru is still a new genin – regardless of his IQ levels and own pre-genin training.

He needs a good plan that circulates around tricks and stealth. Sakura had gone for a quick taijutsu battle and played to her strengths, fighting strategically like he plans to. Her battle being before his means that the Kumogakure-nin may expect Shikamaru to try and close in for a taijutsu fight. He doesn't plan to do such a thing though, but making his opponent assume he plans to do such a thing? That is a good starting place for any plan.

"Start!"

Shikamaru leaps forward, ducking into a roll under a kunai, and coming up with a kunai in his hand that he quickly throws, _(plans race through his mind)_. Yotsuki moves away from him, laying down caltrops as he does so. Coming to a halt and crouching in the middle of the arena, Shikamaru lets his shoulders rise with tension as he sticks his hand in his weapons pouch. Pulling out an empty storage scroll, he makes an expression of disgust and throws it over his shoulder.

Three shuriken force him to move, slipping out of the way. With another kunai in hand, he goes through the three hand seals for the Clone Technique. A second him splits away, and they go opposite directions. Yotsuki flips backwards, avoiding being encircled and surrounded by Shikamaru and his clone, _(you can never know if something is real or fake)_.

Pausing just behind the abandoned scroll from earlier, Shikamaru clicks his fingers, calling a spark of fire-chakra as Asuma-sensei had taught his teammates and him. The jutsu is one that's used to campfires and cigarettes, as it causes a spark of fire. However, rather than calling a single spark of fire, he floods his hand with fire-chakra, and drops it onto the scroll, resulting in the scroll bursting into flames. Leaping over it, he throws the kunai in his hand, the wire attached to the hilt held loosely in his hand.

As expected, Yotsuki sidesteps and the kunai flies past his body – and over his shadow. Placing his hands in the rat seal, Shikamaru quickly says, "Shadow Imitation Technique," freezing Yotsuki. Already, Yotsuki fights him, and his chakra is decreasing with the strain of holding the jutsu, _(and he is aware of the exhaustion that rests in him still – a single day of rest would never be enough, but it was all he had and so he will make do)_. Nevertheless, he had thought ahead and so with his left hand, he forces Yotsuki to grab his own fūma shuriken and lift it, and then place the blade against his own neck. Yotsuki struggles harder now and Shikamaru eases off his jutsu, loosening his hold over Yotsuki's face.

"Yield!" Yotsuki spits out and Shikamaru forces the older genin to drop the shuriken next to him before letting go of the jutsu. He sighs in relief and stretches, noting his dropped chakra levels. He should probably work on that.

"Shikamaru Nara of Konohagakure advances to the next round," Gekkō calls out, over the half-hearted and very tired cheers of the other Konoha rookie genins. "Rokurou Ueda of Kusagakure versus Ayame Kobayashi of Takigakure, please come down to the arena!"

Yawning, Naruto leans against Sasuke's back, mushing his face against the other's shoulder and groans. "I'm so bored," he says, although no one around him understands due to his words being so muffled.

Sasuke jerks sideways causing Naruto flail and complain. "If you're going to speak, make sure someone can hear you," the Uchiha replies with a roll of his eyes. "And stop acting like such a child. You'll probably have your turn soon – or at least some Konoha-nin probably will."

"We'll all be up against random genins," Naruto says. "'Cause if Konoha needs a good showing, they'll try to have as many of us pass this round as possible, meaning we won't be up against a fellow Konoha-nin. I'm so bored though!"

"Rokurou Ueda of Kusagakure proceeds to the next round," the proctor calls.

"Huh, that was quick," Naruto says, jumping onto his feet and bouncing in place. "Do you reckon I'll go soon?"

"You probably just jinxed yourself," Sakura remarks, "and so your match will be last."

Crossing his arms and pouting, Naruto turns his attention to the proctor as they call the next match. "Kiba Inuzuka of Konohagakure versus Keiko Oshiro of Shimogakure."

"Damn it!" Naruto cries as his teammates laugh at him.

Meanwhile, Kiba skips down the stairs, two at a time, Akamaru at his side, _(as always)_. The pair are taijutsu fighters, through and through, and know that Konoha needs them to make it to the next round. Whilst Konoha doesn't deal with notions of pack or similar things, the Inuzuka Clan accepts that Konoha is part of pack, even if those around didn't quite understand, _(pack is something that they instinctively understand and don't comprehend how anyone lives without pack; it would be such a lonely existence)_.

Kiba supposes it makes sense that outsiders didn't understand pack and the meaning of it. How could they understand when their souls had not been split in half? How could they understand without a canine partner beside them? He's aware that some ninjas work alongside canines, but generally, such a thing is left to the Inuzuka Clan members, _(their ancestors chose this and they choose it, every single day they live)_. Even Sasuke, briefly, had admitted he didn't understand what Kiba meant by pack. However, Sasuke had said that it sounded a lot like family to him, just… with different rules.

Akamaru and Kiba had accepted that no one outside of their clan would understand pack bonds and packmates, but he still appreciates his year mates and friends. They aren't pack like the Inuzuka, but they are pack in the way that Konoha is pack, _(and maybe slightly closer, but it's almost the same)_.

More to the point, anyone not belonging to Konoha is not pack, and those who aren't pack don't deserve the same courtesy of being left alive, _(the easiest way to face enemies is to separate everything into a you versus them scenario)_. Whilst many of the Inuzuka Clan currently have dog-like partners, their canine companions are not purely dogs, and anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong. In that way, the Inuzuka humans are not fully human, claiming instincts that others don't have, even as ninjas. It also means that much regarding human interactions isn't understood by those of the Inuzuka bloodlines. They understand, vaguely, enough to follow most of society's rules and regulations, _(but even then, they don't necessarily understand why)_.

However, all canines know that you don't leave a predator behind you to live, especially one that preys on your own life, _(if you are in danger and a predator tracks you down to your den, you tear their throat out with bloodied fangs and leave nothing behind)_. Nonetheless, Kiba and Akamaru have also been told firmly that this isn't a time for death battles, and that mercy – a human concept – is allowed and strongly desired. If needed, they both know they will do what they must, but if they can avoid such things, it is for the best, _(this they can understand, understand in a way that only peace-born ninjas can)_.

"Start!" The proctor calls, and Akamaru and Kiba bound in opposite directions. They are strong, individually, and more so when together. Against Oshiro, Kiba wishes to end the battle as quickly as possible, especially since ending the battle fast will ensure that not many of his skills are revealed. There will be another fighting round, that much is known. There will be time to train, that much Kiba can safely assume, but not much else, _(and so he should keep some skills hidden so that he will be able to have the advantage of surprise at a later date)_.

Oshiro, though, also appears to be a taijutsu fighter, calluses thick on her hands, and she's self-assured about her stance, ready to fight. Regardless, even taijutsu fighters must fall to superior numbers, although how outnumbered they need to be depends on the individual, _(they are genins, though, and so it shouldn't be too difficult)_.

Kiba's hoping that Oshiro is still roughly at genin or low chūnin level, and thus gives Akamaru and himself a chance to beat her. Hands in a tiger seal, Kiba calls, "Beast Human Clone!" And nearby, Akamaru takes on Kiba's form. It's easy enough to differentiate between the two of them, since the transformation did occur in front of Oshiro – but that's not the point, _(there are two of them, there's always been two of them)_.

Akamaru charges forward and Kiba echoes his partner's movements opposite him. Oshiro counters them both, kicking Kiba in the sternum and exchanging a rapid set of blows with Akamaru, before his partner darts backwards to gain some distance.

The trio circle each other, wary. As they do so, Kiba channels chakra to his claws, _(claws, not fingernails), _not sharpening them, but strengthening them as the components that made up his claws are based on human fingernail genetics, leaving them to be weak in the face of anything else. In the same moment, Oshiro pulls out two kunais, holding one in each hand.

Darting forward, Kiba's claws screech against one kunai, scratching the blade. Akamaru ducks low, and slashes with his own claws, cutting deeply into Oshiro's left leg. Noticing the weakness, Kiba kicks out, sending Oshiro off-balance, even as he's forced to retreat away from Oshiro's attack. Luckily, Akamaru's attack had led Kiba's partner to be in a prime attacking position behind Oshiro's back. With a perfect three-hundred-and-sixty degree turn, Akamaru comes back around to Oshiro, resting his hand and its dangerously sharp claws, next to her throat, _(tearing out her throat with his claws would be so easy, but they are hunters and do not hunt for sport; they are fighters, but they do not have to always kill)_.

"Yield," Oshiro says lowly, and Akamaru and Kiba take up positions beside one another as the proctor calls the match, Akamaru returning to his ninken form once again. With a cheery whistle, Kiba makes his way back to the other Konoha genins, reaching them just as Shino's name is called.

"Good luck," Kiba says to his teammate as they pass one another. "Fight well."

"Of course," the Aburame replies, hesitating briefly. "You did… well." Kiba grins at his teammate, who often finds it difficult to compliment others without explaining his reasoning – Kiba assumed, correctly, that it's a clan thing. The Aburame deal with insects of all different kinds and often seem closed-off, but Kiba thinks that they often smell lonely and uncertain. He's seen how Shino is occasionally ignored and treated badly by the civilians of Konoha, who are meant to be pack. It's weird and not right, but Kiba can't do anything aside from distract everyone and keep himself between Shino and Konoha, _(Hinata always helps him)_. It seems to work well, and Shino always smells grateful when it happens, even if he's often quiet and shy instead.

Picking a seat next to Chōji, Kiba lets Akamaru jump up onto his lap and steals one of Chōji's chips – which the other genin allows with an amused smile, _(and Kiba wonders where the chips even came from)_. "Do you think Shino will win against the Kusagakure-nin?" Chōji asks curiously, not demeaning Shino's own skills but also knowing his skills didn't equate to a simple win, _(there is always, always a chance you will lose, even if it doesn't seem that way)_.

"I'd like him to," Kiba allows. "But I don't know if it'll happen. Shino's good but he works well in tracking and locating someone, even though he's worked on his direct fighting recently." Leaning across Chōji to speak to Shikamaru, Kiba asks, "Hey, Shika, do you reckon Shino's opponent is a ninjutsu user?"

Sliding his eyes across to Kiba, Shikamaru offers a short nod. "Their weapon pouches aren't full and they lack the build-up of calluses on their hands that comes from taijutsu and-or weapon usage. Moreover, they appear rather fit and Kusagakure isn't known for its genjutsu."

"In that case," Kiba continues, directing his words at Chōji, "I reckon Shino will win. He's got some neat genjutsus and his kikaichū can easily eat up all his opponent's chakra allowing him an easy win. It'll probably be over in a few minutes as long as Shino dodges enough and forces his opponent to keep using his chakra. Hinata would have a better estimation, but she's by the jōnin senseis rather than down here with us – which sucks."

Kiba's prediction held true, as the fight was over fairly quickly, with Shino using three genjutsus and then relying on his kikaichū for the rest of the fight. "Good win," Kiba calls to Shino as the other joins them once again, taking a seat next to Kiba. "You looked sore, though. Still bruised from the other day?"

"We cannot all have the resilience of an Inuzuka," Shino replies, _(and it is not an insult, but rather a playful tease wrapped up in an Aburame's personality)_. "And these bruises are far different to those encountered during training. Still, avoiding engaging my opponent with taijutsu was also a strategic point. Did you not, also, play to your strengths in your fight?"

Slouching back in his chair and pressing his shoulder against Shino's, Kiba yawns. "You know I did," he answers, resting one hand on Akamaru's warm body on his lap. "Who's next to fight again?"

"I believe that it's someone from Sunagakure against a Kusagakure ninja," Shino answers. "No one marked as important or dangerous. It's a tossup who will succeed."

"The Kusagakure ninja," Kiba says, leaning further into his chair. "They're better in this environment than any of the Sunagakure genins."

"A fair point," Shino concedes as Kiba closes his eyes. "You are not going to sleep, are you?"

"Too many eyes," Kiba replies, "resting only."

Kiba feels Shino fidget and his teammate's steady buzzing, and finds himself growing more comfortable. Even though he's unable to sleep in such an open place, it's easy to trust Shino to watch his back and relax slightly, _(trust between teammates is so normal that many forget how strange it is – that Konoha ninjas trust their teammates to such a high degree)_. Roughly five minutes later, he's roughly nudged into alertness by Shino; mumbling, Kiba pushes himself upright, rubbing his eyes.

"Sasuke is about to fight against a Takigakure-nin," Shino reports, directing his attention downwards, where Sasuke stands with Takuma beside him.

The Takigakure ninja in question is a genin around Sasuke's age and clearly rather new to being a genin, hands slightly shaky and face fearful. Still, Sasuke knows a thing or two about masks and façades, and so doesn't immediately assume that the Takigakure ninja has no experience, _(assumptions and expectations and presumptions and stereotypes can easily get you killed)_. Nonetheless, when the match starts, Sasuke begins by throwing a single shuriken, testing the Takigakure's reflexes and speed.

The other genin dodges, but the shuriken cuts a neat slice in their pants. However, Sasuke narrows his eyes at his opponent, _(a perfect slice, just avoids skin, one could almost say that the other genin had planned such a thing)_. As the shuriken had approached, the other's eyes had twitched and he'd almost-flinched, _(or maybe not flinched, but almost moved away from the shuriken earlier)_.

Regardless, Sasuke's planning to fight flashily, clearly revealing his battle prowess and strength. He isn't just wishing to demonstrate his strength, although he's aware that he needs to do it anyway, but this way he can take a more strategic stance in the next round – assuming he makes it through, which others shouldn't be expecting, _(often, people assume someone is either strong or strategic, that there is no crossover)_. Unless he knows them of course, but that's something to consider at another time.

Takuma keeps pace with Sasuke as they dodge and weave around some badly tossed weapons. There's been no clear signs of what his opponent specialises in, leaving him unsure as to what he should do, _(and that's another interesting point, that this person is hiding their speciality or doesn't have one yet, which makes them even more dangerous)_. He can engage in a taijutsu battle, a kenjutsu battle, or a ninjutsu battle, with all three being areas he does well in. The only issue with a ninjutsu battle is that Takuma has to get in and close, regardless of the jutsus going on around the wolf-dog.

Still, if he wants to show off, he's going to end up using ninjutsu. Nothing appears to surprise others than a rookie genin utilising a fire jutsu, whether or not his last name is Uchiha, _(and he wonders why it's so simple for others to underestimate him)_. Slipping through the six hand seals is easy, and he knows the ninjutsu well enough that he doesn't need to actually say the name of the technique. Fire chakra gathers in his lungs and pulls up his throat, hot and warm, uncomfortable, but not harmful. He spits it out, sending a giant fireball at his opponent.

The Takigakure-nin moves rapidly, demonstrating speed that they hadn't previously, and flips backwards before moving sideways to avoid the fire. However, following the fireball are Takuma and Sasuke, chokutō extended.

Takuma's attack is easily dodged, but Sasuke's blade scratches his opponent. It's a light cut, hardly worth mentioning, but it does mean that first blood goes to Sasuke. And he knows enough to understand the importance of such an injury – psychologically, it placed Sasuke in a stronger place and made his opponent properly aware of the danger around them, _(but it can also motivate his opponent to do better, which is the only downfall)_.

It seemed that the Takigakure genin had come to a decision, narrowing their eyes at Sasuke and attacking. A low whistle, and Takuma attacks Sasuke's opponent's legs as Sasuke flips backwards, going through a different set of six hand seals. "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique," he says as Takuma darts away, taking a long route by the walls of the arena to arrive back beside Sasuke. Balls of fire target the other genin, who avoids the first two but gets singed by the third. The last three hide shuriken, which aren't dodged.

With a snarl, the Takigakure-nin jerks a shuriken from their shoulder, ignoring the other gashes gained in the attack. They quickly close in on Sasuke, who unsheathes his chokutō once more and readies himself for an attack.

He's quickly lost in the rapid exchange of blows, falling into the pattern of attack-defend-attack-parry. With his extended reach, he's in a better position than the Takigakure-nin, who is forced to take a step back, and then another. Sasuke flares his chakra, channelling his chakra into the chokutō a heartbeat later, attempting to disguise the chakra flare as his own wavering control over his chakra – if, that is, the Takigakure genin even felt the chakra flare.

He forces the genin to take another step back, and they do so, stumbling over Takuma who'd slunk in behind the Takigakure-nin and set himself up as an obstacle, _(training has Takuma and Sasuke being able to use chakra flares as a method of communication, as well as noise and hand gestures, but in battle such things are easy to miss)_. Immediately, Sasuke rests his blade above the genin's heart, knowing that a quick and strong strike could easily end the battle, and their life.

"Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure passes to the final round," Gekkō calls, and Sasuke sheathes his blade, turning around with Takuma beside him, and returning to the other Konoha genins. He gives a nod to Tenten, one of the members of Team Gai, as he passes her on the stairs.

Upon reaching his friends and teammates, he sits himself beside Naruto, Takuma lying in front of him. "Who is Tenten-chan against?" He asks those around him, but mainly directing his question at his teammates.

"The redhead from Sunagakure who Shika warned us about," Sakura answers gravely. "His name is Gaara, no last name. Looks to be the youngest of his team. Appears to be able to completely control sand. An ability like the current Kazekage, we think, but we can't be certain. There's likely to be a relation there based on that fact alone."

Sasuke leans forward, focussing on the pair in the middle of the arena. As always, the Konoha kunoichi has a weapon in hand, which is unsurprising considering her focus on creating a bukijutsu style for herself, _(she is a kunoichi and she is strong)_. Her blue sleeveless qipao-style style contrasts the Sunagakure clothing that the redhead wears – all dark earth colours complete with a gourd of some kind, _(the juxtaposition between Konoha and Sunagakure is apparent once again)_.

Despite the training Team Kakashi has done with Team Gai, Sasuke doesn't know much about Tenten. She's from a civilian family that came as refugees from Ta no Kuni, now known as Oto no Kuni. Apparently, her family came from the northern coastal area, which has a different culture to Konoha. What it really means, though, is that Tenten can speak another dialect and Sasuke can never say her name the same way she does, unable to copy the accent she has, _(and he wonders about the Uchiha Clan, briefly, because did they have their own culture or dialect that he doesn't know; but that is a pain best left alone for now)_. Still, it's clear that Tenten is a Konoha ninja through and through, despite her slightly strange appearance and clothing, _(she wears her hitai-ate proudly, and that's all that's needed really)_.

"Start!"

Tenten throws a bunch of weapons at Gaara, who doesn't move. However, sand rises as a wall and the metal weapons sink in and don't reappear. Glancing at both ninjas, Sasuke notices that Tenten appears confident, whilst Gaara doesn't appear… anything. He looks emotionless in a way that sits awkwardly on Sasuke's tongue, _(his instincts are telling him that something isn't right, but he isn't in tune enough with them yet to know)_.

As Sasuke watches, he can see a string of sand approach Tenten as she starts to move away from her position, sprinting to her left with weapons in hand. Before the Konoha-nin could avoid it, it slips around her left leg and encases it, _(he has never seen someone with this ability before)_. She goes to fling a kunai at Gaara, but the sand covers her arm. Her chakra flares, her body glowing as she attempts to escape the sand's hold, but it proves futile.

She struggles for a single second more, and then gives in, which Sasuke can understand because there is a point where you have to yield, otherwise you are more likely to injure yourself and cause serious harm. However, the redhead doesn't appear to understand this and his hand forms a fist. Tenten screams, _(she screams and screams and screams and the sound will never leave his head as long as he lives because all he can hear is her terrified scream as she's in pain and unable to do anything)_, as the sand crushes her arm and her leg.

"Enough!" The proctor shouts, putting a stop to the match. "Gaara of Sunagakure passes." The redhead's sand retreats into his gourd and he turns, not even glancing at Tenten. Sasuke's breathe feels caught in his chest, fear clutching his lungs and sinking bony fingers into his skin, _(this is terrifying and horrifying and all too real and this is someone he knows)_.

"How- how could he do that?" Naruto asks, voice quiet, but loud in the silence that grips all of them upon seeing the bloodthirst unleashed before them, _(no genin is that bloodthirsty – no one human or normal acts that way)_. "It's not- You don't do that!"

Shuddering, Sasuke doesn't reply, and it seems like none of the others can, as no one talks until Gekkō calls the next fighters down, after which, they tell Rock Lee good luck. The normally cheerful genin walks slowly down the stairs, and Sasuke doubts that the ensuing fight will be a long one. After all, if his teammate had been badly injured, he'd tried to finish his fight quickly so he could check on his teammate, _(and still, he wonders, how does a person cause such injury without caring about it)_.

Lee fights with quick movements, efficient with each blow, straight away trying to finish the match. It's nothing like the Lee that Sasuke has sparred against with his team, who smiles and laughs and shouts encouragement for everyone. This is the genin who chose to be a shinobi despite the difficulties he would encounter with his inability to externally manipulate chakra. This is the ninja that Lee will grow to be – dangerous and calculated, _(this is the danger they all hold within them)_. Beneath the onslaught of rapid and strong blows, his opponent quickly forfeits.

"I'd not want to go against him in the final," Sakura murmurs. "He's much too fast." Sasuke grunts in agreement. Team Gai have been training for a year longer than Team Kakashi, and he doesn't know how long Lee has been working on his speed, because Lee is _fast_; Sasuke doubts one can get that much speed in a year and a bit, _(and it is difficult to fight someone who you cannot land a blow on, even with ninjutsu)_. Even augmenting muscles with chakra will only give you so much speed, since one has to work with what muscles they currently have, which means there's no chance of catching up to Lee when he moves at his full speed. And Sasuke doubts he's even seen Lee move at full speed, especially as Kakashi had mentioned weights and Team Gai in the same sentence at one point, _(and he hadn't wanted to think further on that because Lee being faster than he already appears to be is something that was astounding and all too dangerous as well)_.

"Definitely an issue," Naruto agrees. "But one for the future, I think."

"Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure versus Izumi Kobayashi of Sunagakure; please come down to the arena," the proctor calls.

Grinning, Naruto bounds over the railing and flips, landing in a crouch on the arena ground. He bounces on his feet, waiting for his opponent to appear, _(eager but not overly eager)_. When the kunoichi does, he considers the best way to win. Sunagakure ninjas are known for poison, puppetry, and their wind ninjutsus. Sasuke fought in a way to demonstrate his strength, whilst Sakura fought to showcase her strategic thinking. For Naruto, it's easy to decide to fight to display his battle prowess. While he knows he can show the ability to plan ahead of time, he also knows his tendency to lean towards using power to beat his opponents and that even if he plans ahead of time, people will notice his power first and his thinking secondly.

Better, he thinks, to highlight his power first so that everyone can see his strategical thinking when he tries to plan ahead of time. Knowing that, it's much easier to figure out a method of attack. At a genin level, solid clones are rare and a major advantage for Naruto, _(and Naruto will use all the advantages he has)_.

"Start!"

Immediately, Naruto throws down a smoke bomb and puts his hands in the hand seal for a jutsu. "Shadow Clone Technique," he whispers. Four clones form beside him, and he switches position with the third one, while the fourth uses a henge to hide themselves in the background, _(and being a ninja is being stealthy even if you have to face someone straight on)_.

Just in time, too, as the Sunagakure-nin uses a wind technique to get rid of the smoke. The three clones and Naruto charge forward, engaging the kunoichi. Kobayashi blocks two punches and ducks under a kick, but takes an uppercut to the chin. She uses the momentum to flip, twisting in the air and sending senbon raining down at the group. One clone pops, but the others manage to avoid popping. Naruto takes a senbon to the hand but pulls it out and drops it aside, _(he knows his capabilities for healing, and this is an injury that will easily disappear, whether or not the weapon is poisoned)._

The hidden clone drops the technique behind Kobayashi, and slashes with a kunai, catching Kobayashi's shoulder. The kunoichi lashes out with a backwards kick, popping the clone, but her right hand clamps down on the wound – already, Naruto can remember the sensation of slashing with his kunai and the feeling of the blade sinking deep into muscle and knowing the battle is won.

From there, it takes very little time for Naruto knock out Kobayashi who was distracted with their own wound and trying to take on two clones and Naruto, _(and so, he has shown his power because solid clones are only a sign of his potential, only a sign of his large chakra pool, a warning to all those who plan to fight him – if they choose to take it that way)_. "Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure passes to the next round," the proctor announces. "Next match is Neji Hyūga of Konohagakure versus Kokoro Fujita of Sungakure."

Ignoring everyone else, Naruto reaches his teammates and slings an arm around Sakura, knocking their heads together. "Didn't jinx myself!" He tells her happily, jerking away when he gets a hard elbow to the ribs. "Sakrua," he whines, rubbing the sore patch, "that was mean."

"You deserved it," Sasuke says, going to say something else but falling silent as Shikamaru hums, _(he listens to those around him)_. "What is it?" He asks instead, turning to the Nara.

"Might not be anything," Shikamaru says, tapping fingers against his leg, _(a sign of thought, a sign of interest, a sign that could mean danger, but it will never be danger directed at them)_. "But I've heard rumours of Neji-san being a genius and it's interesting to see whether or not he actually is."

"How could you tell?" Kiba asks.

"Not easily," Shikamaru responds with a wry tilt to his mouth. "We won't be able to tell from this one match, but we might be able to see whether he's perceptive and the taijutsu prodigy he's rumoured to be."

"What?" Naruto says loudly.

"The Sungakure-nin," Chōji begins, "has an injury on their left leg – something to do with their knee as it's not holding their weight properly. When they move, they forget briefly, and their knee buckles under their weight. It'll be a quick match. Neji-san is bound to notice."

Takuma barks beside Sasuke and he sighs. "Neji-kun is rather good at taijutsu," he says. "He's got a good grasp of the Hyūga Clan techniques and easily matches Hinata, if not outright beats her. He definitely has a great understanding of taijutsu and the fighting styles he uses, which – considering his teacher and his clan – makes sense." A pause, and then, "I hadn't seen him as a genius, though," he adds with a glance at Shikamaru, _(and Sasuke knows geniuses like Shikamaru, like Toru – those who hide within plain sight, and he – once – knew Itachi, but maybe he never did)_.

"If he is a genius, he is not at the level of Shikamaru," Shino announces. "Why? It is clear that Shikamaru surpasses most of the Nara, and Neji-san does not."

Shikamaru nods in agreement, but doesn't say anything more, returning his attention to the battle before them. "He's spotted it," Chōji says, "You can see how he's aiming now and focussing on closing in and ending the battle, where before he was checking his opponent's skills."

"How many fights are left?" Sakura grumbles as the proctor calls Neji's win. "I can't wait to have a proper rest and actual food and recover."

"Six fights and Chōji's," Sasuke says after counting the remaining ninjas. "Chōji is going to fight a Konoha-nin."

"They want someone who won't kill their opponent or injure them so much they have to leave their ninja career behind," Chōji says with a nod of agreement. "Also, too many Konoha-nins have passed already, so they're going to need to drop the numbers slightly."

"Random matches," Kiba says with a snort of laughter. Then, he pauses abruptly, "Do you think they lined up Tenten-chan and the redhead from Sunagakure on purpose?"

Sasuke grimaces. "Politically, it makes sense. No Konoha Clan would take such a thing happening without attacking back and making demands of the Hokage, but Tenten is from a family of refugees and so nothing will come of it."

"And it had to be a Konoha ninja," Shikamaru chimes in, turning his gaze to the other Konoha genins as another match between two unknown genins is called. "If it was another village, the likelihood of wanting reparation is high, not to mention the massive increase in tension it would cause. On top of that, there'd be the question of whether Konoha let such a thing happening and arranged it. Most hidden villages would see it as a slight on them and Konoha's alliance with Sunagakure, whether or not it's rather tense or not, would result in many villages assuming that Konoha and Sunagakure are willing to destroy genins to stop other villages from gaining any power. It'd probably result in a war or, at least, higher tensions and some skirmishes that could lead to a war of some kind."

"It's not right," Naruto growls. "It shouldn't happen! Konoha shouldn't sacrifice one genin to stop some stupid war that doesn't have any reason to happen!"

Shikamaru shrugs. "That's not going to happen when you're Hokage," Sakura points out, "but until then, we have to deal with these things."

"Next match is Chōji Akimichi of Konohagakure versus Arata Kohaku of Konoha!"

Chōji stands up and stretches quickly, flashing a grin at his friends. "This will be over pretty quickly," he says before heading down the stairs, feeling rather positive about the upcoming match.

Kohaku is a relatively small clan within Konoha. However, they have their own village in Hi no Kuni, meaning only those who wish to become ninjas come to Konoha. They have a few strong members, but aren't well known for anything in particular. They have a tendency towards taijutsu, bukijutsu, and kenjutsu. All of which Chōji can easily counter since he's been training, for years, to focus on taijutsu and navigating around weapons.

He reaches the arena quickly, and the proctor starts the match. However, before he can do anything, his opponent shouts, "Yield!"

"Chōji Akimichi of Konohagakure will proceed to the next round," the proctor calls and Chōji turns towards the staircase. He reaches it just as his opponent reaches him.

"There was no point fighting," the Kohaku Clan member says. "I've been focussing on my taijutsu and I'm not about to go against an Akimichi Clan member, the Clan Heir at that, if I'm going to lose easily. Save us all the time and trouble, no?"

Chōji smiles at the Konoha-nin. "Fair enough," he agrees. "I'm sorry you couldn't proceed to the next round."

The Kohaku Clan member laughs, "I was never going to make it to chūnin, so it's not too bad. But thanks, anyway."

"You're welcome."

* * *

**And so, fast on the end of the second trial of the chūnin exam, the preliminary round begins and the Konoha rookie genins fight with all they have, fight smart, fight strong, fight well – and they win, despite the odds placed on them. **

* * *

_**Slightly longer chapter than usual, not the longest one, but fairly long. This was largely because I wrote it without thinking about how it would fit into a chapter and couldn't find an easy place to split it, so I figured I'd stop it at the end of the Konoha fights and ignore the random matches that go on. I don't believe I have too much to say with this chapter, as it was all fairly straightforward, so if you have any questions, just comment and I'll answer. **_

_**I'm slowly getting this towards my favourite point in this entire book, one of the best bits of the series, I reckon. This may be because I've been doing some fun stuff around it and so forth, but whatever - we'll get there when we get there. This is the eleventh chapter and there's about... five or so chapters I think? And then we hit the next book. It really depends how much writing and things I get done for the events I've got planned, because sometimes I have an aim and sometimes things don't work out as well as I'd hoped or they go much longer than I expected, which is always great.**_

_**Anyway, that's pretty much all I have to say right now, so I'm going to move onto writing the next chapter.**_


	12. Training

Standing between Sakura and Naruto, Sasuke wonders what's going to happen next. "Please unfold the piece of paper that you selected from the box," the proctor says as he reseals the box into a storage scroll. Sasuke quickly unfolds the paper, noting that on one side there are instructions and times, but largely focussing on the giant number on one side. "You will find that each of you have a number," the proctor continues. "These numbers will pair you with your opponent for the first round of the third trial. The third trial will take place here in a month's time. You all have the details in your hand. Now, if you all hold up your numbers, I will announce the matches."

Holding up his number, Sasuke glances around, trying to spot who he's fighting. "Shino Aburame of Konohagakure versus Kankurō of Sunagakure; Shikamaru Nara of Konohagakure versus Neji Hyūga of Konohagakure; Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure versus Temari of Sunagakure; Nobu Sasaki of Kumogakure versus Yui Yoshida of Takigakure; Kiba Inuzuka of Konohagakure versus Lee of Konohagakure; Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure versus Mao Fujita of Kusagakure; Chōji Akimichi of Konohagakure versus Gaara of Sunagakure; Rokurou Ueda of Kusagakure versus Fuyuko Kurosawa of Shimogakure; and Sakura Haruno of Konohagakure versus Akio Chinoike of Kumogakure." After that, the proctor disappears in a body flicker.

Instantly, Team Kakashi bunch together, on edge with the proctor's abrupt disappearance, but feel calmer when Kakashi appears in front of them. "Follow me," he says as other jōnin teachers appear in front of their respective genins. Without questioning, Team Kakashi following their teacher out of the arena.

Sasuke sees the person waiting for them first, and only waits for a brief nod from Kakashi to go flying forward, pausing just in front of Toru. The older Uchiha laughs, smiling, "Hey kiddos, how'd you all go?"

"We all passed," Naruto crows, tackling Toru in a hug. The older boy rocks with the movement but doesn't actually shift his feet and laughs, hugging Naruto back before placing the genin back onto his feet.

"Congratulations," Toru says, ruffling Sasuke's hair and smiling at Sakura. He glances up at Kakashi, "and now you have a month to train, correct?"

"Was it the same for you?" Sakura asks.

Toru shakes his head, "Nah, we had a ten-day break in which we could train. My team and I had our chūnin exam in Sunagakure. Now, I suppose you're all hungry and want some food?"

Takuma barks, just as Naruto's stomach growls loudly, and Toru laughs, clicking his fingers. Haruto detaches himself from the darkness and comes to stand beside Toru, _(and for a moment, Toru considers himself without Haruto; because despite how often they are together within Konoha, Haruto doesn't come on missions with Toru and is largely used for his activities with Kakumau)_. His gaze moves from the genins to Kakashi, who has remained, _(hesitating and slightly unsure, but has remained with them)_. "I have some food back home, if you are all willing to go there? You can stay for the night." He gazes at the trio of genins as he says this, but glances at Kakashi to include him.

Tilting his head, Kakashi agrees and says, "It'll be good to figure out a training plan as well." The only response is Sakura pulling a face, but no one says anything as they head towards the Uchiha apartment, _(and maybe if they hadn't known Toru or Kakashi the genins would complain, not seeing a need to figure out training the second after they'd finished fighting, but Kakashi is a wartime ninja and knows not to waste time and Toru is Toru)_.

The door unlocks easily, the smell of food clear. "Iruka," Toru calls out, surprised, as he waits for the others to enter. "I see you made yourself at home."

Placing a bowl down on the dining room table, Iruka smiles at Toru and turns to the genins. "Congratulations on getting to the third trial," he says simply. "Feel free to help yourself, I'll set up another placemat for...?"

"Kakashi Hatake," Toru says, "and Kakashi-san, this is Iruka Umino."

"Greetings, Hatake-san," Iruka says. "I'm afraid I wasn't prepared for another person, but there will be plenty of food regardless. I hope you don't mind leftovers."

"You didn't have to cook more," Toru says, rolling his eyes as he takes a seat at the head of the table, Sasuke on his left and Iruka on his right. "There was plenty."

"You cooked everyone else's favourites but your own," Iruka returns sharply. "And there were one or two things left to do and I was here, so there was no reason not to."

Toru smiles, shaking his head, and knows full well he didn't have the ingredients that Iruka had needed. "Are you going to come to the final match, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asks as he takes a seat next to Iruka and across from Sakura. "Surely, you're coming, everyone's going to be participating!"

"Not everyone," Sakura hastens to add, nudging Sasuke a plate closer to him. "Neither Ino nor Hinata will be fighting, but they dropped out due to medical reasons. Everyone else made it through, although I expect Chōji won't end up competing in the third round. He's facing some insane redhead from Sunagakure."

"Poor Tenten-chan," Naruto says, pausing. "I hope I face that bastard in the third round so I can smash him to a pulp."

"I suppose you'll have to plan what tactics to use against your opponents," Iruka says. "Regardless, I am proud of all of you. And yes, Naruto, I do plan to come to the final match, as long as I don't have an active mission."

"Eh, you're still on the roster?" Naruto says loudly as he slurps some more of his ramen. "Thought you don't go on missions 'cause you're an Academy instructor!"

"Manners, Naruto," Toru says, "and Academy's on break for the third trial of the chūnin exam, so it's understandable that Iruka is on the active mission rosters. Kakashi-san, please help yourself to some food. You can use a genjutsu if you desire to keep your mask up."

"As long as no one minds my rudeness," Kakashi replies and his genins snort in unison. The jōnin then flickers through a set of hand seals and finally starts putting food on his plate.

"When did you ever start caring about how rude you appear?" Naruto asks, "Because it doesn't seem like anything's ever changed."

"Just because you lack manners," Sasuke begins hotly, "doesn't mean that everyone else is always rude."

"You're just saying that because of that one D-rank mission with the noble's children!" Naruto says, pointing with his chopsticks. "Otherwise, you'd be on my side!"

"Your side was teaching the children to burp the alphabet!" Sasuke snarls back. "That's not manners! You don't even know what manners are! Toru just reminded you before."

"That's not–" There's a thump and Naruto falls silent, scowling at Sakura. "That hurt," he says with a pout.

"Serves you ri–" Sasuke cuts himself off and scoots his chair away from Sakura, rubbing his ribs.

"No fighting at the table," Sakura says calmly as she picks up an umeboshi. "That is rude, and you shouldn't comment on Kakashi-sensei's manners. It's not his fault he probably has some massive disfiguration or scar that he desires to keep hidden from everyone."

"Thank you, Sakura," Toru says, an amused tilt to his lips as he stares down at the only jōnin in the room, who currently is staring at their only female genin with something like shock in their eyes.

"He might not be disfigured," Iruka adds in the pause that follows. "Maybe he's just shy."

Once again, Kakashi pauses in eating, staring at the older chūnin in the room, because really, him – shy? He's a jōnin with numerous Bingo Book entries and is well known amongst Konoha civilians and ninjas, not to mention ninjas from outside the village. He's known for his deadly jutsus – he's not shy!

"A possibility," Toru says, "have there been any changes to the odds?"

"Not recently," Iruka returns, "but if any of Team Kakashi make chūnin, there are going to be so many queries over whether or not they know."

"Is this some secret knowledge only chūnin can know?" Naruto asks, tilting his head in question.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura shakes her head. "It's the general betting that the Chūnin Corps have," she explains. "Some of the jōnins henge themselves as chūnin to place their own bets. I'm fairly certain there are bets on everything. Iruka-sensei, Toru, are there are any bets in regards to the chūnin exam?"

"None that we know of," Toru answers.

"Tend to stray away from those when you've taught those who are entered," Iruka explains. "Hatake-san, are you okay?"

The jōnin finally looks up from his plate, "Does everyone assume I have a disfigurement?"

"You mean you don't?" Naruto asks, leaning over the table and angling himself towards his sensei. "But I was sure you did!"

"What are you hiding then, if not a disfigurement?" Sakura asks. "Although, even a disfigurement raises its own questions, since we are ninjas and such a thing is not an issue."

"Could be for infiltration purposes," Sasuke points out. "However, even that doesn't make sense because he has the sharingan eye, which is pretty obvious."

"Training plans!" Kakashi interrupts, looking panicked. "Let's talk about those!"

Chuckling, Iruka stands up and collects a few plates. "I best be going. I promised Genma, I'd swing past and tell him how your brats did," he says, directing his words at Toru. "You should meet up with him at some point, since you had a mission last time. And Hatake-san, it was nice meeting you. Good luck to you and your team with the chūnin exam." With that said, the chūnin places his dishes in the kitchen and leaves through a window.

"Training plans?" Toru echoes at long last, as he stacks a few plates, carolling the genins into helping him. Even Kakashi helps, grabbing a few and turning the kitchen tap on, _(it all feels rather domestic, and like the grief and hardness of life cannot reach them here; Toru wonders what a life like that would be – one where the hardness didn't reach you and you aren't always nervous or paranoid)_.

As Kakashi starts washing the cooking equipment, dishes, and utensils, along with Sakura, he starts speaking, "I'm thinking that each genin has a day spent training with me and one day spent training with you."

"Barring active missions," Toru interjects, collecting one dried pot from Naruto and putting it away before grabbing a dried plate from Sasuke.

"Barring active missions," Kakashi allows. "Then, three days of training with a specific teacher, I was thinking. I'm sure you three wish to meet up with your fellow rookies?"

"We could maybe rope Lee-kun and Neji-kun," Naruto adds. "Friday tends to be the day everyone is free. Sakura?"

"Yeah, I can probably organise that tomorrow morning through Ino in regards to the rookies. Will Lee-kun and Neji-kun want to train with Tenten-chan in the hospital?"

"We could visit Tenten-chan and maybe ask," Sasuke points out. "We should visit her either way."

"Sounds like a plan," Toru says smoothly. "Kakashi-san, did you have any thoughts on teachers?"

There are a few minutes of silence as the final washing and drying takes place, when everything is put away in its place, Kakashi finally hums. "Team, is there anything you want to work on personally?"

"I think… poison?" Sakura asks, before nodding firmly to herself. "Working on a taijutsu style that incorporates medical jutsus is something that will take time and can't be finetuned in a month, so I can practise that as normal. However, poison is an area that I definitely want to work on and will help in regards to my medical techniques and my medical knowledge as well."

"Ninjutsu, probably," Sasuke decides. "I've been working almost exclusively on my skills with Takuma, and I can only practise what I've currently got rather than anything new in the month break. But the few ninjutsus I know aren't helpful because they only endanger Takuma when he goes up close."

Naruto pauses, "I'm not sure what to work on," he says. "Genjutsu is still beyond my control and my taijutsu just needs more practise and I've got a few good ninjutsus up my sleeve."

"You've got more chakra than you need, though," Sakura points out.

Sasuke nods in agreement, "Picking up some more ninjutsus would be good for us as a team, as well."

Kakashi claps his hands, instantly gaining the attention of his genins. "Here's the plan – Sakura, I'm going to introduce you to an old friend of mine who owes me a favour. Sasuke, I have some ninjutsus that you can learn and we can work on some ninken stuff as well. And Naruto, I've heard some rumours about someone I kind of know being in-village, and he should be able to teach you. Only, he won't agree if I ask, so that's going to be on you. If he refuses, speak to Toru or me and we can teach you."

_(Sometimes Toru finds it strange, to wake up and realise he's looking out for two genins, two children although they would protest that they are not. It's strange because once he had been responsible for an ANBU team who'd breathed and lived together, for a village that was always going to fall. Now he could say he's part of ANBU team and not responsible for them, and now looks out for two genins who almost-but-not-quite need him.)_

* * *

Upon sensing someone's chakra approaching, Genma speeds through the rest of his kata, finishing just as the ninja appears over the peak of the crag that forms most of Training Ground Twelve. Raising an eyebrow at Kakashi, Genma settles his weight into his heels a bit more, _(he trusts Kakashi will not attack him, even if they haven't spoken for years, even if it seemed their friendship had meant nothing to the younger shinobi)_.

"Kakashi-san," he greets. "This is a bit out of your way."

"Genma-san," Kakashi says after a pause. "It's… good to see you."

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Genma replies, tone mild, but Kakashi clearly winces, catching Genma's disapproval and irritation.

Dipping his head in a nod, Kakashi acknowledges, "It has. That is on me, I will admit it."

Humming, Genma tilts his head in askance. "Did you want something Kakashi-san? I take it you did not come here from nothing."

"Maybe not," Kakashi admits with a twist of his hidden lips. "I was wondering if you would be willing to train one of my genins for their match in the chūnin exam. She wishes to work on poison. She's currently practising on strengthening her taijutsu by combining medical techniques and chakra-powered attacks."

Frowning, Genma asks, "You want me to do this to repay my favour?"

"Yes," Kakashi says, "but I'm also asking as a friend. Sakura has potential to be amazing, but I don't have the ability to teach her to achieve her potential."

"Very well," Genma eventually says, and Kakashi sighs in relief. "Where do I meet her?"

"Training ground three; she'll miss training on Fridays. I train her on Mondays and Toru-san trains her on Tuesdays," Kakashi adds.

"Fine," Genma says, setting into a new starting position for a kata. "I will see her tomorrow morning."

Kakashi nods, and hesitates again, "When… when do you and Raidō-san go out for drinks?"

Genma gives him a sharp glance, and Kakashi reminds himself that despite his appearance as a tokubetsu jōnin, Genma is remarkably well connected and respected, _(and Genma may not be a genius or a prodigy, but he had been the guard of an Hokage before he was seventeen)_. "We will go out Thursday night, meet up at seven. If you don't come, this is your last chance." Kakashi nods and vanishes in a whirlwind of chakra and leaves.

_(Genma is not giving Kakashi one last chance, despite how it seems. He would keep trying to reach out to Kakashi as he has done through the years, even though Kakashi doesn't reciprocate, because he owes it to Kakashi and to those long gone. And to see Kakashi now, reaching out and doing it without any prompting, makes him glad. He thinks, now, that Kakashi's isolation is ending and is grateful to the genins that did it – against all odds.)_

* * *

"What do you know about Jiraiya-san?" Toru asks Naruto.

The other boy yawns, rubbing his eyes. "Too early," he mutters. "Jiraiya-san is one of the sannin, and hasn't been in the village in years. Abandoned Konoha during one of the wars briefly and eventually returned once Tsundane-san had also left. He trained the Yondaime Hokage, was taught by the Sandaime Hokage, and has toad summons… I think. He's known for his prowess in the sealing arts, although the Yondaime surpassed him. He wrote the Icha Icha series, although that series dropped in popularity in the past few years. That's all… I think Shika mentioned something about being a spymaster? Not sure."

"Did you go over this with Sakura and Sasuke?" Toru guesses, and Naruto nods. "Good work on putting everything together. Don't worry about what Shikamaru-kun said for now. You can investigate that in your own time."

"The fact Kakashi-sensei said to check the bathhouse reflects that Jiraiya-san hasn't been in Konoha for a while… since before the massive campaign the police launched," Naruto adds, and there's something hidden in his voice, _(Naruto is a loyal ninja of Konoha, of course he would be angry that someone had dared to abandon it)_.

Toru pauses, "Alright, let's go see whether I need to take someone to the police station before your training finishes."

Laughing, Naruto keeps pace as Toru drops from the rooftop to the first fence surrounding the bathhouse. "Kakashi-san's assumption held true," Toru murmurs to Naruto, upon spying the white-haired sannin. Raising his voice, Toru calls out, "If you're attempting to breach the fence in front of you, you will find yourself on the wrong side of the law, shinobi-san. The police force will take action."

"Eh?" The sannin says, reacting comically and flailing backwards. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Drop the act, Jiraiya-san," Toru says, "Don't bother with it. There's no way you'll get passed the seal work without people knowing."

"You know who made the seal then," Jiraiya responds, a question in his tone.

"Jiraiya-san, I'm here on Kakashi-san's behalf to ask you to train Naruto here for the chūnin exam. Kakashi-san said you're likely to and that it is owed," Toru says, not answering Jiraiya. Beside him, Naruto frowns.

"That brat can't make me do anything, I don't want to," Jiraiya laughs. "Besides, I'm not here for him, I have actual business to attend to."

Toru's eyes narrow, _(and he has fought for Naruto for years, against teachers who despise him, against teachers who will sabotage him, against teachers who don't care and don't know how to teach; and he has always fought because Naruto deserves all of it and more, and he is not about to lie down here and take it; it would not be fair to have Naruto train without a single teacher whilst Sasuke is trained by Kakashi and Sakura by Genma)_. "Help train Naruto or I'll report this to the police," he says decisively, _(and this is a threat and a promise, and he does not mind standing up to this ninja who abandons his village). _

_(Toru is an Uzukage, whether he died as one and now doesn't hold the position, he still is an Uzukage. He has hesitated to show his power before, but never to fight for those he loves and cares about, and he will continue to do it. He is a position where he can do it now, as well.)_

"Who are you again?" Jiraiya says, finally turning away from the fence.

Inclining his head with a polite smile, Toru answers, "Toru Uchiha, Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, founder of the Uchiha Police Force, chūnin of Konohagakure."

_(He is important and powerful both politically and in other manners; he will see Naruto taught whether it is by someone powerful or by a friend.)_

"I am a sannin boy, you really think you could stand against me?" Jiraiya replies with a boastful laugh.

Naruto's a scowling figure at Toru's side, and Toru smiles, _(bares his teeth and everyone who knows him understands that this is not a smile)_. "A sannin who has abandoned Konoha in all but name. Meanwhile, I am the Uchiha Clan Head and allied to Kurama Clan, Inuzuka Clan, and Hyūga Clan. However, you will find that every clans do not owe me or will not help if I ask them to. Besides, isn't Icha Icha out of publishing now? What power do you have that I cannot defeat?"

"You're making an enemy out of someone you can't afford to," Jiraiya says, finally dropping his act and reminding Toru that he is facing a powerful ninja.

"You abandoned Konoha!" Naruto shouts, at long last, and Toru doesn't silent him. "Toru has been here all his life and has never abandoned Konoha despite everything! Toru's way better than you and everyone in Konoha knows it! In our lives, you need to trust and we can't trust someone who has abandoned their village, whether you're the spymaster or not. You should've reported in to Konoha, but no one has seen you in over a decade."

"How do you know of that? That's meant to be a secret," Jiraiya says, glaring at Naruto.

"You can know all sorts of things when you are friends with seven Clan Heirs," Naruto answers. "Toru, I don't want to be taught by this loser, are you sure you can't find anyone else?"

"I can," Toru decides, "but it'll be a mix of teachers."

"Wa- wait!" Jiraiya calls out as they turn their backs. "Hang on, I'll teach him – Naruto-kun. It's… fitting."

"Why is it fitting?" Naruto asks as they turn back around.

Jiraiya visibly panics, "Well, I taught Hatake-brat's teacher so I should teach his student. It's a cycle!"

"Cycles aren't necessarily good," Naruto points out, "that's why you should try to break out of them and change things."

"I can teach you some powerful techniques," Jiraiya promises, and it's now that Toru realises something more is occurring – something that both Kakashi and Jiraiya know about Naruto, but Toru doesn't.

_(And he's never really thought about it, but both Jiraiya and Kakashi are connected by the Yondaime who looks a lot like Naruto who had a relationship with an Uzumaki – it all makes sense now, and there's going to be some law that prevents him from telling Naruto, he just knows it. However, it's not going to be too difficult to point the kids in the right direction and let them figure it out for themselves.)_

Making a decision, Toru crouches down. "Might as well take what this guy can teach you," he says quietly to Naruto. "He's powerful, even if he isn't a good person. And I'm sure he's got one or two cool things you can learn."

"Fine," Naruto announces before pointing at Jiraiya, "but if you do anything I don't like, I'm gonna tell Toru and everyone else!" Deciding that the two would carry on fine without him, he leaves with a body-flicker and heads towards the training ground where Sasuke waits.

_(And so, Toru thinks, Naruto takes a step out of his reach.)_

"Today, you're going to be learning water walking!" Jiraiya announces after leading Naruto to a nearby training ground.

Naruto blinks. "I already know how to do that," he counters. "I'm looking to expand my arsenal of ninjutsus. I have a massive chakra pool and don't have many ninjutsus that will hit hard and take people out. The only techniques I know, aside from the Academy Three, are the water clone and shadow clone jutsus."

"Fine then! What's your chakra affinity?" Jiraiya demands.

"Wind," Naruto answers. "Know any wind techniques?"

Jiraiya nods. "We'll start basic, then, with Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. The hand seals are tiger, ox, dog, rabbit, and snake. While you practise, I'm going to check up on some people and speak with the Hokage. I'll be back later."

With that said, the sannin disappears in a swirl of leaves. Naruto scowls, he knows well enough that he needs more instruction before he begins to start practising the jutsu, but he can't get that instruction alone. Then again, Jiraiya is the spymaster, so maybe he's tricking Naruto into not following him and really wanting Naruto follow him to work on his tracking skills?

Shrugging, Naruto decides to try and follow. It doesn't make sense since the next trial will be one-on-one fights, but maybe there's another lesson here. Thus, Naruto channels chakra to his nose and starts going through the hand seals for the henge; he has a sannin to catch, after all.

* * *

"Mmkay, so today's the day we train together," Toru says to Sasuke and Takuma. "Kakashi-san will actually work on ninken stuff, since I don't have that kind of capability. However, I can get Takuma to work more on fighting." He whistles, resulting in Haruto and Takumi to appear from opposing directions. "Takuma, your task will be to find Haruto while Takumi hunts you. Sound good?" Takuma barks. "Haruto, hide!"

The dog nods and leaps into the undergrowth surrounding them, promptly disappearing from sight. After a minute, Takuma follows him. Letting the dogs do their own training, Toru turns to face Sasuke. "We know you're fairly fast for your age and experience," he begins. "We also know that I've focussed on training you to be fast, for two reasons. One is that it's helpful to be fast when opponents are older than you and are therefore stronger. Two is that it's helpful for the sharingan, which improves your eyesight beyond what you currently have and gives you the ability to see where someone will move – essentially predicting their movements.

"However, whilst speed is helpful and very important, you also need your reflexes to be as good. Today, we'll be working on your reflexes and your kenjutsu and taijutsu skills. You're going to get exhausted when you fight, so you need to be able to keep going and not slow down too much. The good news is that I'll not be using chakra or anything and just use kenjutsu and taijutsu. The bad news is that you can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu and will be fighting for a few hours. Any questions?"

Sasuke shakes his head and settles into a defensive position. Grinning, Toru speeds forward. However, Sasuke dodges at the last possible second, fingers brushing past his shoulder. He swings to the side. Except, Toru is already there and lands a blow hard enough to hurt but not enough to bruise on Sasuke's ribs.

"Arms by your sides! Don't let them get too far away that they're useless as a guard," Toru advises as they disengage briefly. In a blur of colour, he lands three more blows on Sasuke, who finally pulls out his sword and takes up a new stance.

Rather then even the odds by using his katana, Toru dives forward, leaping over the sword to flip sideways and land a kick between Sasuke's shoulder blades. The boy stumbles forward but turns, blade cutting Toru's forearm. Despite the injury, Toru doesn't disengage, instead sweeping out with his leg and causing the younger Uchiha to fall, sword held out in front of him to defend.

"Good hold on your blade, but remember to keep your centre of gravity low, even with kenjutsu. If your legs are too straight, you're either too rooted in your stance or too weak to remain standing if someone goes after your legs," Toru says and waits for Sasuke to stand once more. Pushing himself onto his feet, Sasuke settles into a kenjutsu stance once again, sword raised and ready. A snarl fixes itself onto his face.

_(Seeing this, Toru knows that Sasuke is a capable ninja and will succeed in his life. He doesn't need Toru to continue training him. He will do well.)_

* * *

Sakura stands in front Kakashi, waiting for him to explain their plan for the day. "With me, we're going to be working on improving your chakra reserves and ability to multitask," he says. "Can you make a guess as to what we're going to be doing?"

Considering they're standing beside a river, she has a very good guess, and tells her teacher that. She adds, "Expanding on that, we're probably going to spar on the river."

"Very good!" Kakashi replies. "You're going to be fighting with your new style, not just taijutsu – use your medical techniques as well. Splitting your attention in regards to chakra will be good for you. But first, I figured I'd introduce you to the pack, since they've been wanting to meet my team for a while."

"The pack?" Sakura echoes. "Your ninken?"

Kakashi hums. "Correct! I considered having them meet all three of you at once, but I think that I would be overwhelmed by that and figured that it'd be better that you all meet one on one." He flicks through a set of hand seals, "Summoning Technique: Pakkun."

A miniature pug appears in front of Sakura in a cloud of smoke. Immediately, Sakura leans down. "Hello, I am Sakura Haruno."

"I am Pakkun," the pug responds, before twisting to look up at his summoner. "I am glad to see you have finally had pups. Are there more?"

"Pakkun!" Kakashi protests, and Sakura smiles and crosses her legs, settling onto the ground.

"There are two others," she tells Pakkun quickly, with a sly glance sideways at Kakashi. "Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. Kakashi-sensei is our teacher, do you have any embarrassing stories?"

"That's enough," Kakashi says quickly, grabbing Sakura by the collar and throwing her onto the river. "Nice to see you again, Pakkun, feel free to stick around while we train!"

Sakura catches herself on the water, letting only her ankles get wet, and snarls at Kakashi, launching herself forward. Back on land, Pakkun smiles as he lays down, _(he never thought he'd see the day where his summoner took an active role in teaching pups)_.

* * *

**And so, the first day of training for the third trial of the Konoha chūnin exam begins. As those preparing start training in earnest, Toru comes to the realisation that neither Sasuke nor Naruto truly need him anymore for training and can, in fact, rely on their own skills and alliances. It is a feeling he has come to accept over the past few years, having equipped himself for it. Meanwhile, a revelation makes itself known to Toru, who isn't so much as shocked by it as he is dumbfounded by the fact he never realised in the first place.**

* * *

_**Iruka and Kakashi finally met face-to-face, and Toru has everyone over for dinner with a table that just fits all of them. Kakashi's characterisation is a bit iffy because I'm still a bit unsure about how to write him. Especially in his interactions with Toru. However, I will admit, he doesn't eat at first because he's trying to figure out whether it counts as rude to hide his face and whether he can eat without anyone seeing his face. Which is why Toru mentions the genjutsu thing. Also, I had some fun with the reason why Kakashi has a mask. Because there would so be people who wonder about it, and I reckon the genins are bound to know what's going on, even if it's only in vague notions. Also Sakura is totally just digging for information there (and later as well). **_

_**Also, Genma is great and I'm glad I got to include him in the writing. I'm working on the assumption that Genma and Kakashi became kind-of friends through both ANBU (assuming Genma was an ANBU member at some stage) and also because Kakashi and Genma both knew Minato (Namikaze) and so probably knew each other through that link as well.**_

_**Here you get to see Naruto meeting Jiraiya and something that clicks in Toru's head. I don't have much to say, but Naruto's echoing Toru's own disapproval in regards to Jiraiya, which is why he clearly doesn't like Jiraiya. It's also got to do with the fact Jiraiya is behind Icha Icha and the hypersexualising of women which is not okay in Naruto's book (and also Toru's). Remember, there's no Sexy jutsu in this series as Naruto doesn't want attention and has no reason to create it (although, I'm kinda working on the basis that the technique was a henge with a genjutsu aspect, but I don't really need to explore that, so I'm not going to). **_

_**Sasuke is just getting beaten down there, but Toru is also showing where there are holes in his guard so he's aware of it. Meanwhile, Takuma is both the hunter and the hunted. I don't have much to say, since it's pretty much training.**_

_**Sakura's own training only gets a small bit because I didn't know what to write for hers. She's trying to get Kakashi to reveal more about himself and stop hiding away as well, and also just get along with Kakashi's ninken, all of which Kakashi clearly cares about. **_

_**That's all I really have to say. I expect the next chapter will probably be another training chapter, and the following chapter is where we'll hit the chunin exams again.**_


	13. Growth

"Okay, what did you learn yesterday?" Kakashi asks Naruto, Pakkun a watchful presence yesterday.

Naruto makes a face and scowls. "Not much. He told me the hand seals for Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, but then disappeared. Naturally, I tracked him because I thought it was a test of some kind – which it wasn't. Good news is that I saw him getting thrown out of one of Konoha's brothels and laughed at him. Bad news is that I'm pretty certain he's lost his brothel contacts in Konoha, probably because they're no longer putting up with his sexual and perverted behaviour. Although, it does raise the question regarding who's going to be the next spymaster."

Kakashi frowns. "Want me to find him and talk to him?" He offers, but Naruto shakes his head.

"He doesn't respect you," Naruto replies, "so he won't listen. He doesn't listen to Toru either. I think I can wear him down, though. But… do you have any chakra exercises for wind chakra? I don't actually know how to use it yet."

"Your chakra affinity is wind," Kakashi begins, "so your chakra will naturally be inclined to be wind chakra. Currently, you've mainly used chakra without a nature transformation, and so what you need to do now is understand how wind chakra feels." Picking up a leaf, he hands it over to Naruto. "What you need to do is channel wind chakra to a single fingertip to cut the leaf in half. Locate your chakra and channel it to your fingertips without trying to control the type, just urge it to be itself whilst maintaining some control over it."

Naruto pulls a face. "Sounds difficult," he replies, even as he holds starts to concentrate.

"It is, a bit, because you're trying to feel something you don't know what it feels like," Kakashi admits, "but I believe you can do this."

Nodding, Naruto coaxes his chakra up his arm, _(he briefly brushes past red-fire-anger-tricky-trick and studiously ignores it; such a thing is not his to take),_ and focusses on the feeling of wind-rush-go-go that climbs up his arm and settles in his fingers, a shadow away from his fingertip. He places his fingers on the leaf and draws them down, watching in awe as the leaf cuts in half, a perfect cut – not jagged at all.

"I did it!" He cheers, jumping about. "Kakashi-sensei, I did it!"

Kakashi smiles in that closed-eye manner that he always does. "So you did," he agrees, and – beaming – Naruto throws himself at his jōnin sensei in a hug. Shocked for a moment, but then moving, Kakashi ruffles Naruto's hair, _(and couldn't help but be grateful for what he has now regardless of past and present sorrows)_.

* * *

"Since you did some tiring work with Kakashi-san yesterday," Toru begins. "We'll work on something less physically exhausting and more mentally exhausting. Can you, Sakura, tell me a major flaw in regards to your fighting style not due to chakra or anything similar, but something that would cause you to have a major problem when fighting?"

After a minute or two of thinking, Sakura eventually shakes her head. "I don't know," she admits, looking down at the ground.

"That's okay," Toru responds, "but consider your senses. If someone kicks up dust and blocks your vision, you'd be unable to attack until everything settled down currently. Not to mention, many genjutsus focus on the visual aspect, meaning if you rely on your other senses you can attack your opponent and they won't be expecting it."

Making a sound of understanding, Sakura says, "And because I showed that my strength laid in taijutsu, others are going to assume that if I can't rely on my vision I'd be disadvantaged and… they wouldn't be wrong."

"Exactly," Toru says, "so that's what we'll be working on today. I know you've got a good head on your shoulders and a great mind for remembering information, so I won't be working on helping you remember where everything around you is. You've got that covered by yourself and most of it will probably come with experience, to be honest."

"Can you fight without using your sight?" Sakura asks, _(and Toru feels like this question is one of the worst she could have asked, because there is only one true answer he can say)_.

"Yes," Toru says, the word sharp in his mouth, cutting his cheeks and tongue. "I do… My cousin taught me to, because we have the sharingan and often became overdependent on our sight. And, yeah."

"Oh," Sakura says quietly, softly, _(and it does nothing to ease the hurt in Toru's heart even though he knows that Shisui is in a better place, that Shisui is happy and watching over him)_. "I'm sorry for asking."

"It's fine," Toru replies with a shake of his head, _(and he isn't shaking off the past because he is part of the past, but he is part of the present to, and now he is thinking of the future; and so, he shakes his head and dismisses it because he has made his peace with the fall of the Uchiha Clan and the tragedy that occurred)_.

"If you say so," Sakura replies doubtfully, but she seems willing to let matters lie, so Toru explains the exercise and training begins in earnest.

* * *

"Toru?" Sasuke calls in a soft voice that immediately grabs Toru's attention, _(Sasuke isn't meant to sound hesitant, ever, especially when asking Toru something)_.

"Yeah?" Toru asks back, aware that something is going on that he doesn't quite understand.

"Do… Do you have any stories from the Uchiha?" Sasuke asks, the question rushing out of him. "I mean, you say a lot of things about Uzushio when someone asks, but you never talk about the Uchiha and I was wondering if you know anything?"

Taking a seat on the couch next to Sasuke, Toru nods. "I do," he says, _(and if his throat feels tight, it's only him who knows)_. "Not as much, but… Shisui told me some things."

"Do you know any of the origin stories?" Sasuke asks, "They're my favourite stories. What's your favourite story?"

"I have always had a particular appreciation for that of Susanoo," Toru says slowly, "but, perhaps, we can start from the beginning. Remember these stories that should not be forgotten."

_(And Toru had decided to not let the Uchiha name fade into obscurity, to not let everything disappear, to not let a clan's fall mean that the clan is no longer important and no longer exists. Uzushio fell and people have forgotten, and Toru will not allow that to happen. And so, he will remember what he can, what little he has been told, and he will recite the Uchiha Clan's stories to all who will listen.)_

"The world begins with Izanagi and Izanami who were deeply in love with one another," Toru begins, _(words falling from his mouth coming from his scattered memories of Shisui telling him the stories and saying that these were Toru's heritage and birthright and one of the best parts of the clan)_. "Their love brought life to the world. However, a darkness crept over the land, ending the clear days the pair had created. Neither Izanagi nor Izanami feared the darkness, as they knew such a thing was part of life. The mortals, though, who were used to the bright days were scared of the darkness and lack of light in their lives. To relieve the fears of the mortals, Izanagi and Izanami created Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi created the moon and the stars and provided the night with a beauty previously missing.

"Tsukuyomi became well loved by the mortals and by Izanagi and Izanami. However, they were lonely as Izanagi and Izanami could not spend all their time with Tsukuyomi, and frequently visited those who they'd seen come to life in the world. Thus, the pair gave Tsukuyomi a younger sibling, who would always be present. And so, Susanoo came into existence and gave the world oceans and rivers and streams and lakes. To ensure that Susanoo was never lonely, Izanagi and Izanami created a third sibling – Amaterasu, who gave the world the sun.

"Whilst Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu never saw Susanoo at the same time, they both existed in the same plane of reality. It enabled them to talk, and led to them working together to create human bodies to join those on land. However, Susanoo, although never alone, was never able to breach the distance between them and their siblings, leaving them unable to talk. Eventually, Susanoo managed to create a human body, but never once spoke a word to anyone, using writing and hand signs to speak instead.

"The three siblings met up, one day, after eons of wandering – sometimes together or with Izanagi and Izanami or alone. They met up as Izanagi and Izanami had decided to move to another plane of reality, another world, where they were needed. They said that the mortals nor the world needed them, and so they would continue to somewhere where they were needed. The trio of siblings begged them to stay, to take the trio with them, but Izanagi and Izanami refused, saying that the siblings belonged in their own world.

"No matter what they said, Izanami and Izanagi refused, and one by one, the siblings gave in. Tsukuyomi, the eldest, gave up last, and promised to watch over the land as the two gods departed. Amaterasu also agreed to do such a thing, since they were able to see everything since they were the embodiment of the sun and part of the sun, even as they claimed a human body. Susanoo knew that they could do no such thing, and promised nothing more than ensuring life, as without them, there would be no rivers or lakes or oceans and all would be gone.

"This led to the three watching as the world around them changed and as chakra became prevalent amongst humans, they could only watch in horror as fighting became increasingly heinous. Amaterasu hated the terror that grew in the hearts of people and hated what their parents' creations had become. As a result, they fled back into the sun and swore to turn their back on the mortals. Meanwhile, Tsukuyomi attempted to help others, spoke of peace, but no one believed them. And so they, too, returned to the moon and left the mortals to their petty arguments and hatred.

"However, Susanoo did not wish to return to the life they had once lived, unknowing of kindness and the touch of life. They understood that mortals were capable of evil things, but understood that they were capable of good things too. And so, they wandered the world, meeting many by people by many different names – including the Sage of Six Paths. But as Susanoo came to know more people, others came to hear rumours and myths and legends of a god that came down to the land and bestowed people with powers beyond belief. This was not true, of course, as Susanoo was the water but could not gift power over the water.

"Susanoo was captured, one day, by a group of humans who desired the power for themselves. Susanoo was aware that they could do nothing in their position, and asked their siblings to return to help them. Their siblings, hearing Susanoo's ask for help, returned to the land and freed the god of the oceans, rivers, and lakes. And Amaterasu asked Susanoo why they remained amongst the humans and so Susanoo brought Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi to the shore of the land, where the ocean lapped at their feet. Susanoo told them that the sun rose here and the moon rose here and they both set in the horizon as well, untouchable. Susanoo said that they were never lonely, but they were without life. For all the light and darkness within the mortals, they were undoubtably alive and kept changing.

"Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu did not understand why Susanoo appreciated the humans and the mortals, and so Susanoo led them away from the shores of the ocean where they were less human and more water. Susanoo led them to a small family and let their siblings see the love that the children held, the innocence that they clutched in tiny hands. Now, Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu understood. The trio were siblings and so loved each other unconditionally, but they had never grown up or grown beyond who they began as. Seeing the family, Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu understood that Susanoo loved the humans for their ability to change.

"Due to seeing this, the three siblings came together in a decision to bless the two children, brothers, and promised to look out for the descendants of the children so long as they themselves were remembered. One of those children was the founder of the Uchiha Clan," Toru concludes.

Sasuke yawns and leans further against Toru, blinking sleepily. "Do you think it's true?" He murmurs, words slurring together. "That we're being watched by Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, and Susanoo?"

"I couldn't say," Toru replies, "but maybe they are watching over us. They cannot interfere, but maybe they're watching us anyway."

"Is the origin tale your favourite story?" Toru asks, _(and there are many origin stories, but there is only one that talks about the origin of the Uchiha Clan)_.

Sasuke nods, "Mmm… Itachi loved it the best 'cause there was so little fighting in it, I think. Which story about Susanoo is your favourite?"

Toru smiles, _(he never understood why he loved the story of Susanoo so much, but now he understands; perhaps something in him had always known who he had once been)_. "The one that gives Susanoo the title of god of sea and storms."

"Tell me sometime?" Sasuke asks, yawning. "Everyone tells a story differently."

"Another night," Toru promises, nudging Sasuke. "Now come on, your day of rest is over. You'll need your sleep for tomorrow."

* * *

"This is Sasuke Uchiha; and this is Pakkun," Kakashi introduces. "No exchanging stories about me and no digging information like your teammate is clearly trying to. She's not being subtle at all, she should work on that."

"She's not trying to be subtle," Sasuke retorts, crossing his arm and staring at Kakashi. "She's purposefully revealing what she's doing because we want to know more about you."

Pakkun barks out a laugh. "Good on you pup! My summoner deserves to have his life disrupted by his own pups considering how much disruption he caused."

"All lies and slander," Kakashi says cheerfully.

"You smell like that Naruto-pup," Pakkun says a beat later, ignoring Kakashi's input. "You two live together?"

"Naruto's a ward of the Uchiha Clan, so we both live with Toru," Sasuke explains before turning his attention to Kakashi. "What do you have planned today?"

Kakashi produces a lightbulb. "We know that you can use fire chakra, but we also know your primary chakra affinity is lightning chakra, so we're going to be working on you being able to produce it on command. In other words, you need to make this lightbulb produce light through chakra!"

Taking the lightbulb, Sasuke narrows his eyes at Kakashi, before frowning, _(and coming to understand there are no tricks here)._ "How do I use lightning chakra and not fire chakra?" He asks.

"Lightning's… more prickly," Kakashi says. "Fire is warmer and not as fast as well, not softer but less staticky and unpredictable? Chakra feels different to everyone even when talking about the same chakra affinity."

"That's… helpful but also not," Sasuke deadpans, even as he channels chakra to his fingertips and into the lightbulb. It flares, sparks of fire fly in the glass, and Sasuke drops it. Silently, Kakashi offers a second lightbulb, and Sasuke grabs it with a grateful expression. This time, he focusses less on controlling the chakra, and more on what chakra he's pulling towards him, _(and fire warmth-fury-hot-love-rage-emotions buries itself in his veins and heart, but there's something else next to it, quieter but not softer in any way; it's friction and rough in a way that lets it be smooth, it jerks but in a pattern; a constant in its unpredictability)_. The lightbulb flares and burns itself out.

Kakashi smiles at Sasuke. "Congratulations, you now know the feeling of lightning chakra. Now you get to work on finding the correct amount of lightning chakra," he says as he hands over another lightbulb.

Sighing, Sasuke gets to work.

* * *

Naruto swallows and forces his thoughts to fade away again, focussing on himself, _(on who he is, on what he holds inside of him, on the chakra that isn't his but feels like it could be his)_. One moment, he's breathing and seeing nothing but the darkness of his eyelids, and then he's falling. He lands in a crouch and glances about.

Swallowing, he stands upright. Toru had asked him to meditate because to be able to fight, he needs to know himself and understand himself and not be scared of what he holds. He's in the darkness, and he knows that the Kyūbi is somewhere in the darkness, _(and once he'd been in the darkness too, hiding away from people because people can be mean and hateful, but not all of them and he never wants to be hidden away in the darkness again without ever seeing the light because there is beauty to be found, even… even in hatred, if you look beyond it, there can be beauty; that's what Naruto believes and it's made him into who he is today)_.

This is his mind. He understands that, and if it's his mind, surely it can be under his control? The Kyūbi is here, behind bars, because you hide things you don't want to see in the darkness, stuff the secrets in your closet. And… Toru told him to accept who he is because he is who he has always been and none of that has changed.

Accepting who he is means accepting that he holds the Kyūbi, which means bringing the Kyūbi out of the darkness, _(and maybe he's justifying this to himself, or maybe he actually thinks the way, but maybe he thinks that no one deserves to be trapped in the dark and left alone)_. He focusses, thinking about the way his mind had, at first, been his apartment with Toru and Sasuke. It's not a place big enough for the Kyūbi, but it can open to Training Ground Three, with the grass and the forest and the sky and the birds and-

"Come to steal my chakra you disgusting creature? Here to taunt me with what will never be and give me no rest?" The Kyūbi growls, an orange creature of menace held back by a cage in the middle of Training Ground Three.

_(He wants to cower, but he's more than that, he's more.)_

"I- No! I… I thought you'd like something other than darkness and… and I'm not going to hide you from myself or hide from you," Naruto says, pointing at the Kyūbi. "I bet you don't like the darkness so I thought I'd change it! I'm not here to steal your chakra either! I just need to accept who I am!"

The Kyūbi snarls, teeth gleaming bright white in the light. "Can you accept your hatred and your fears? Your weaknesses and your disgust of those around you? You wish to burn everything down for how they treated you! Admit it! You are a creature of hatred! Unseal me and I will aid you in this endeavour to burn this village to the ground and destroy all who live in it!"

"That's not right!" Naruto shouts right back, _(because Konoha is his home, the same way that Toru and Sasuke and Iruka and now Kakashi and Sakura are also home)_.

"Isn't it?" The Kyūbi asks slyly, and that, more than anything else, makes Naruto pause and consider.

"No," he decides, saying the word firmly with as much determination as he can muster. "Yeah, I had a few times I hated everyone for what they did. But I don't anymore! I have fears and weaknesses, but I'm gonna get better! I'm going to be Hokage and make the world a better place! You better believe it!"

"And to do it, you will take what is mine on demand," the Kyūbi growls back, tails lashing angrily. "Is that not why you are here? To steal my chakra because you don't have enough since you're a pathetic _worm_!"

"That's not true!" Naruto shouts back, glaring down the Kyūbi. "I'm here 'cause Toru told me I had to accept who I was and what I held inside me. I don't want your chakra or anything, because I'm going to become Hokage with my own power and the help of those around me because that's what friends and teammates and family does! I'm here to tell you that I'm not going to use you and not going to unseal you because I want to live and be Hokage and make people understand that peace exists! I'm going to save as many people as I can and those around me will want to do the same! Just watch us, Kyūbi-san!"

The Kyūbi laughs, a cackling laughter, that almost sends Naruto running away, because for all his bravado, he is still a child, _(and he is not fearless, but he knows this and so he doesn't run and stands instead)_. "One day you will come here to steal my chakra and I will remind you of this. Remind you of your words. Remind you that you are a failure. And then, I will watch everyone around you burn and crush your village to tinder that gets set alight."

Naruto lifts his head and feels his resolve strengthen, _(his promises are not to be broken)_. "I do not break my promises because that is my ninja way. And so, this I swear to you Kyūbi-san, I will never steal your chakra from you no matter what!"

The Kyūbi laughs again. "Liar," they snap, and then Naruto finds himself falling forward onto his face into the grass.

"Naruto?" Toru calls, instantly beside the genin.

"I'm not going to ever steal the Kyūbi's chakra," Naruto tells Toru. "But I'm not hiding it anymore. I am who I am. I get that, now."

Toru grins. "Good," he says. "Let's get to work then."

* * *

"Hello, Sakura-chan, it's nice to meet one of Kakashi-san's students. I am Genma Shiranui, but feel free to call me Genma-san," the older ninja in front of Sakura says.

"Hello, Genma-san," Sakura replies. "Kakashi-sensei said you would teach me about poison?"

Genma smiles crookedly, the senbon in his mouth dipping with the expression. Sakura feels comfortable in the man's presence, and she's sure it's not just because Kakashi trusts the shinobi. There's something about Genma that puts her at ease. "That's right," Genma confirms, "Kakashi-san said you were pretty accurate with your kunais, but we're going to do some work on senbon and precision, since that's fairly important. Whilst we work on that, I'll quiz you on poison and what you know. Sound good?"

Sakura nods, _(and she doesn't consider whether or not to ask Genma about Kakashi, because any knowledge she gathers from Kakashi is either gathered when he's around or in front of him – she will not go behind his back, and this way he controls what she learns, even if he hasn't realised it yet)_.

"Alright then," Genma continues, "there's a target on your left. You need to hit the green dots on the tree trunk."

Sakura turns, and squints at the tree trunk. However, the tree is too far away to see where the green dots blended into the leaves and the brown of the tree. "I can't see them," she finally admits as Genma continues to stare at her.

"Don't be afraid to admit a weakness amongst allies," Genma chides. "We are too far away for almost anyone to see them. I did that on purpose. It's good to be able to admit a weakness and not try to target something you can't see properly."

"Was that a test, Genma-san?" Sakura asks as they walk forward ten metres.

"Partially," the shinobi answers. "If you didn't admit that you couldn't see the dots, I'd probably work on some other things before we got to poison. I need to be able to trust your judgement and you need to know your limits."

"So you were going to train me anyway?" Sakura asks, _(and if her voice is a touch timid, one only needs to remember what the Ninja Academy was like once). _She throws the first kunai. It embeds itself in the centre of the first green dot.

"Of course," Genma answers. "Kakashi-san asked me to, and so I will. Besides, Iruka wouldn't let me get away with not training you properly. I've taught enough brats to know what to do."

"You were Iruka-sensei's jōnin teacher?" Sakura echoes. Another kunai hits a green dot.

Genma laughs and shakes his head. "Nah, I housed Iruka for a bit when he was an Academy student and as a genin. Along with Izumo and Kotetsu. You've got this precision down with your kunais, so now we're going to try senbon. You ready?"

"Hai!"

* * *

Tomoe sighs, and tilts her head backward to lean against Hikaru. "Eh? Somethin' wrong?" Kira says from the other side of Hikaru. "I thought everythin' was goin' well. Wasn't it?"

Turning so that she's actually looking at Kira, Tomoe replies, "It is going well. Everything's going well. I mean, we lost Raiden and Masuyo to business work so we don't see 'em that often, an' there's definitely somethin' in the works. But – everything's largely fine."

Next to Tomoe, Rena reaches out and tugs a lock of her hair. "Alrigh' tell us what's up an' we'll see what we can do. We're all missin' Raiden and Masuyo somethin' fierce, but you're not jus' whining over that – are you?"

Tomoe shakes her head in response, _(they've been given so much thanks to Ryuu, but now she's lost two of her gang, and she doesn't know how to feel about that – because it had been her decision, and only now does she recognise the consequences of it)_. "I'm fairly certain that there's somethin' afoot. But we've been doin' a lot of work whilst tryin' ta hold our position at the top in Konoha and keep bein' healthy on the streets, an' it's startin' to do my head in."

Kira makes a face. "I'm missin' them 'cause they ain't in the village but somewhere else. An' with the four of us in charge of everyone else, it's putting a strain on us, an' coupled with the rumour work that we've been doin', we haven't actually been doin' much work out on the streets," she says.

"Something's going to have to give," someone says from behind them, and Tomoe shifts her gaze to where Ryuu stands, and finds herself relaxing further, _(and this is only proof of how much she trusts Ryuu with not only her life but the lives of those around her)_.

"Hey Ryuu," Tomoe greets, as the older boy sits on the ground in front of their small group. "Did ya hear all that?"

"Yeah," Ryuu answers, "wasn't like it's unsurprising or anything. No one really wants to be away from their family for ages."

Tomoe goes to speak, and then pauses, _(she wants to tell him that her gang isn't her family, that she has no family – but Ryuu's proven that family is more than blood, has proven that their ties matter, and maybe she does have a family)_, "So what have you got figured then?"

"If you can wait a month or two, that's all that's needed," Ryuu says. "Raiden and Masuyo left Konoha because it was too dangerous for them to operate from within here. However, you don't really need to stick around in Konoha. You can head on out to where Raiden and Masuyo are currently based and get others to deliver all the news between places."

"There's the merchant train that our people started," Rena points out. "Would give us an easy way to travel back and forth from wherever to some other place."

"Ya sound like ya have somethin' planned," Kira adds.

Ryuu grins, and seems to shift, become more, and Tomoe doesn't understand exactly what has changed but she knows something has, _(she's known that she will never see anyone like Ryuu ever again, that no one else would ever look at the street kids in the gutters and tell them that they matter and want to help for no other reason then because they think that they should help; she knows that there's something more to Ryuu then everything he shows, because he is different from everyone, looking at those around him but also beyond; juggling two worlds without trying to change either)_. "There'll be a village, eventually, that will take in all of you, and Raiden and Masuyo can be there too. In a few months or maybe in a year, but eventually there'll be a place for all of you to call home. We just need to get those living there on board; you don't have to stay in Konoha forever, where you're ignored and unacknowledged. But right now, if you want to go find Raiden and Masuyo, go. They're doing well, currently, as you know. I'd imagine they're also missing you."

Tomoe shakes her head, _(Ryuu will not order them to do anything, only give them options and let them choose; freedom granted freely; freedom without a price – things that she has never known before)_. "We can wait," she says, glancing at those around her, and all three nod in agreement. "A few months is nothing, and we need to get everything in order for our disappearance anyway." Ryuu smiles at them, and they smile back.

_(Once, a boy reached out and told a girl that she mattered, that all those ignored matter. Now, a group reaches out and lends aid, lends a helping hand, and teaches freedom, teach that they matter simply because they exist.) _

_(It will always be enough.)_

* * *

**Team Kakashi's chūnin training continues, but they are not the only ones who change. All around them, people are living their lives and growing as a result. Kakumau is a powerful group now, growing bigger with every week and inviting new members and encouraging people to leave the streets behind them. Those who started it remain where they originally were, and continue to do what they have always done – their best to survive and ensure others survive. **

* * *

_**So... like, we know Jiraiya is a bit of a dick. And his problem with teaching Naruto is that a) he tends to use avoidant strategies to deal with most things and b) he's used to teaching geniuses. And while Naruto is smart, he still needs some instruction. So yeah, the previous chapter showed that Jiraiya isn't the best teacher, but then Naruto isn't exactly going to be the best student either, simply because of how Jiraiya has responded to Toru and Kakashi, and also because Jiraiya left Konoha. **_

_**Anyway, Kakashi has improved so much since he first met his genins and I am proud of him. Look at him, teaching and wanting Jiraiya to be a better teacher. Since Naruto is a rather physical person, I figured I'd start adding depth to his relation with Kakashi (and I'm sure I'll be working on improving the relationship he holds with all of his genins). **_

_**I won't say much with Sakura, since I don't think much needs to be said. However, Sakura has a constant desire for information since she knows how valuable knowledge can be and is also aware that she lacks the general physicality and chakra reserves that are gained through ninjas having relationships with one another - clans, essentially. Also, I have become aware of the fact that Sakura's parents are meant to be ninjas just not from a clan, but I didn't work that into this series, so that's not what I'm currently going to be using - rather, her parents will be civilians, which added depth to her character quite a bit and helped me with pre-genin days in the Academy.**_

_**We've seen a lot of Toru's information about Uzushio, but I really wanted to explore some more Uchiha stuff. So, I went with myths. It's based off of Shinto, but I warped and remade all the myths. This was based on the fact that much of the Uchiha's jutsus have names relating to the main gods/goddesses of the Shinto religion, but the bad stuff that the gods got up to is largely ignored, as all the techniques related to the god names are powerful and viewed with reverence and awe more than anything else. Hence, I decided I'd use the names but change the stories. There are bits that are alike the actual stories here and there, but for the most part they're quite different. Naturally, the Uchiha clan has a few different versions of the myths and the one Toru tells is the one that has the most focus on Susanoo - which is, of course, because Toru knows of storms and the sea, and so I thought I had to work Susanoo as not being the bad guy of any story. I wasn't quite sure where I wanted it to go or what I wanted to happen, but I didn't want anything terrible or for it to be about power and so forth. There's also quite a bit of understated character development that shows up in Sasuke here - especially the note that Itachi didn't like fighting, and it's clear he isn't viewing everything through a child's eyes. **_

_**Sasuke and Kakashi's interaction is going to go unmentioned since I didn't see anything interesting there.**_

_**Naruto and Kurama. It's a work in progress there and something that's a struggle to write, because I'm not entirely sure how to write Kurama and then also Naruto as well. Because they both have their clear issues with one another, but then Naruto is also hating the fact that Kurama is more or less revealing that they had no opinion in the matter. Meanwhile, Kurama is hating Naruto as their jailor and doesn't trust Naruto because Naruto has proven nothing. But they're slightly confused by Naruto as well because he doesn't act like they expect. **_

_**Genma is cool and an interesting character, so I'm making him present in their lives. I don't have much to say about him, to be honest. **_

_**Kakumau! So, one of the major reasons why there's a lot of worry around the main leaders is because if Konoha finds them, they'll be viewed as a hostile force. Also, their responsibilities are now piling up and they have a lot to do. Toru naturally wants to get them all out of Konoha and somewhere safe - they're also missing the two members who took over Gato's stuff who left Konoha to do it. I also really wanted to show the changes that have happened since when Toru first met them all. **_

_**Anyway, that's all I have to say right now. I was, originally, planning to have in parts from the other Konoha genins training, but then I decided not to since I didn't know what to write and kept getting stuck. It does mean that there should be one more chapter until we hit the chunin exams, more or less - or I might do half of the chapter being round three depending on how much writing the next dot point gets done. Please comment, as I would love to hear everyone's thoughts!**_


	14. Polemic

Hanako glances at her team. The three rookies have come far in the years, and shouldn't actually be called rookies anymore. After all, despite the odds, their team has kept the same members through the years and haven't had any changes. Hanako knows that in ANBU only the best teams are kept together, which makes it interesting that their team hasn't changed at all, _(and she knows that the trio of rookies are good, she sees how easily they fall into each other's patterns, sees the way that they reach out to one another even when not on a mission, sees how both Souma and Sora__ turn to Toru for anything and everything; they trust each other like they've grown up around one another their whole lives; and she knows that she fits in with the team, but not outside of the team)_.

Catching her gaze, Toru nudges his two teammates on either side of him, and the trio start paying attention, posture shifting so they're leaning forward rather than appearing to disappear into the couch.

"Our new mission is A-rank with the potential to turn into an S-rank," Hanako begins. "Konoha has heard rumours of a plot against Konoha to collapse our ninja system involving chemicals of some description. Our current objective is to investigate whether the rumours are true, and – if they are – ensure that we stop the plot in its tracks. We need to call for backup if we find ourselves needing it, but we must stop harm from occurring."

"Where did the rumour arise from?" Toru asks, leaning forward, _(and there's tension in all of them – the same tension that had been in her body when she'd first been told her mission)_.

"Classified," Hanako replies, and the furrow in Toru's brow does nothing to ease her worries, but the other ANBU doesn't say anything.

"Where will we be heading?" Souma says. "Or are we going to the location of the rumour and starting a search from there?"

"We've been giving a location in the east," Hanako answers. "And we're going to be heading out in twenty, so gather everything you might need and meet at our regular gate. Dismissed!"

Almost immediately, Toru stands up and disappears with a blur of speed. He has the most to do in comparison to the others. Currently, it's afternoon leaning towards evening, and so he knows where he'll be able to find those he needs to quickly speak to, _(and the number has grown from one boy to two boys to a team of genins and their teacher)_.

Flying across the rooftops, Toru speeds along a path that takes him towards Training Ground Three, where Kakashi trains his student of the day. It's slightly annoying that he can't remain to train the others, and with only three days left before the third round, _(still, he trusts in the genins and knows they'll give their all and do what they need – he doesn't need to know anything else)_.

He bounces from one tree to the next, and senses Kakashi's chakra flare relatively close by, and angles himself off of one tree trunk to land on a branch beside the older shinobi. "What brings you here?" Kakashi asks, even as he doesn't look up from his book, _(but there are times when Kakashi reads – flipping through pages quickly – and there are times when Kakashi splits himself between reading and focussing properly on the world around him)_.

"Mission," Toru answers, "Heading out soon. Tell the kids I wished them good luck, yeah?""

"They already know," Kakashi replies, but he nudges Toru with his shoulder. "But sure."

_(There is something about the gesture that should be mentioned, almost like a boundary has been crossed, but neither will admit it, for they are both well aware that sometimes speaking of trust jinxes everything.)_

* * *

Ibisu calls for a halt when they're approximately one and a half klicks away from their destination. As a group of four, they spiral upwards and crouch on branches, _(because they are most dangerous from above)_. "Taichō, I'm not sensing anything ahead of us," he reports.

Stretching out his own senses, Jakkaru agrees with Ibisu's report – not that it means much. He has the worst chakra sensing range on the team, able to sense anything within a kilometre but only when he focusses – which leaves him vulnerable to attacks. Ibisu and Kyatapirā are the ones with the best sensing range, but even then, they don't have exceptional ranges, _(and maybe Jakkaru is too accustomed to the range that hadn't been rare in Uzushio – sensors that had been sensors in every sense of the world; not like Tobirama Senju or the occasionally massive range of an Uzumaki, but still true sensors)_.

"I agree," Kyatapirā says. "There's nothing but natural chakra up ahead; probably Hashirama trees."

"Is there a copse of them up ahead?" Eruku asks, and Jakkaru frowns. He's well aware that there are many different areas of Hi no Kuni that are littered with trees created by the Shodai Hokage; the rather strange trees are known for their large size and natural chakra – more than most other plants.

Ibisu nods. "Feels like one; you could probably feel it yourself Taichō," he replies.

"You can't feel natural chakra," Jakkaru suddenly realises, finally figuring out what has him on edge. Ibisu and Kyatapirā are good sensors, whilst Eruku is average, but none of them had previously been able to feel natural chakra – even that which belongs to the Hashirama trees, since natural chakra is too difficult to sense.

Jakkaru's teammates shift, suddenly tense. Fluctuating his chakra does nothing, indicating that he either isn't caught in an easy-to-break genjutsu and a much harder one or something more is at play here.

_(Something tickles in the back of his mind, something old and forgotten, known so well that it doesn't exist in words but in feelings and instinct of what once was.)_

"I don't think there's a genjutsu," Kyatapirā says slowly, _(and it almost makes him want to laugh because aren't Uchihas meant to be the genjutsu masters – except… there are too few Uchihas for that to matter anymore)_. "But I see the logic you presented. I just don't understand why I can sense it, despite knowing that I shouldn't be able to."

Eruku hums in agreement, "Genjutsu generally operates by subtly suggesting that everything is right and normal to the targets."

_(Somethings aren't logical and sometimes things don't make sense, and when your perception of the world changes but isn't due to a genjutsu…) _

_(Remember, the best way to hide something is to bring attention to something else and make everything seem normal, especially if you're running a long mission or holding a base for some time and don't want people to notice.) _

"Seals," Jakkaru hisses out, _(and something within him twists and cringes, turning away, and he knows he should be feeling something but he knows nothing aside from the mission)_.

"Are you sure?" Eruku asks, danger in her tone and posture, _(because seal masters are dangerous and powerful, and there is a reason why Uzushio fell)_.

"No," Jakkaru answers, "but it would make sense for it to be an Attention Redirection Seal. There's nothing that will let me break the seal from here, since the only way – that I know of – that would allow someone to break the seal is by ruining the seal itself by disrupting the chakra flow. There isn't anything stopping us from seeing anything, but the seal means we're more likely to ignore the area."

"Who's likely to know the seal and be able to use it?" Kyatapirā asks.

_(The seal in question is a stealth one; no one knows it outside of Uzushio and Jakkaru hates where this is leading him because he can't go against those who were once his and still are his but also can't allow for the destruction of the home his family and friends love and that he has come to love in Uzushio's place.)_

"It's an Uzushio style seal," he says, _(and there are various styles of seals, but the majority are Uzushio's style)_, "and for someone to use it like this? They'd be very good at the sealing arts. I don't think anyone outside of Uzushio's people would know it…" Jakkaru is the best at stealth on their team, his henge enabling him to blend in with his surroundings to even sensors, and he's only improved his stealth capabilities since entering the ANBU forces. Even before a plan is made, he already knows what will happen, _(and there is worry in the others, he is sure, but they also trust him to get out and remain safe)_.

"Jakkaru, do whatever you can to understand what's happening and see who our opponents are," Eruku orders. "Ibisu, Kyatapirā, with me – we'll attempt to figure out how big the effected area is. Use the ANBU mark if necessary and make no reckless decisions."

"Hai," Jakkaru replies. The henge slips over him, comforting as chakra always is, _(comforting because it his and has always been his – and this is the only thing that has ever been constant in his lives)._

He takes off, dropping down to skitter around the base of tree trunks – some that are easily twice his height in width, _(and he knows better to stay up high, because that's where Konoha ninjas hide and people are looking for Konoha ninjas and so he can't act like them in this instance)_. With his speed, he rapidly makes it to the first edge of where the seal is really obvious – it pushes him to turn away, almost begging him to believe that everything is natural and normal, _(and it is not and so he won't turn away)_.

He hesitates there, though, wondering about wards and barriers, but experience, _(from a life left behind, a life cut from him, a sword stroke to his chest, twice over, a death that comes and comes again and again, but a life that goes on afterward), _has him moving onward. Although never a teacher, he had helped others on his team, had learned as a student from numerous others, and knows that you never lay down barriers and wards when there will be multiple people entering and leaving – all of who can't be tied into the alarm matrix; and if chemicals are involved, _(and Uzushio people, his people),_ then it's likely that there will be others entering and leaving the area who are manufacturing the chemicals.

The next point he pauses is on the edge of the forest. It's the second edge of the seal, _(and thinking about the seal and how massive it must be is beyond him, because he knows seals, once lived and breathed seals, but to understand a seal to such a depth is an amazing feat – he can create seals with a lot of work, but not completely warp one to cover an entire area where once it had only been made to cover a person)_. The feeling is stronger now, and it almost feels as if his bones are trying to pull him away, _(except he knows how it feels to have his bones pulling him in another direction, and this is much less profound, much less meaningful)_. It's most likely the final edge of the seal – the first is probably due to the spokes and the second outlines the main perimeter through the shape. He can't be sure, since it's likely the seal has been confined and is hidden, but he's probably correct.

However, crouched by the bushes, standing on the edge of the forest, he wonders how no one has noticed. For starters, there's a massive section of forest gone – the ground all flat and without grass; evident of an earth jutsu having been used, _(although he recognizes that the chakra drain for such a technique would be too much for many ninjas)_. There're a few roughly constructed buildings made of wood and canvas, and then tents sprinkled in a group by the middle. On his left, there's two fields of some plant.

Jakkaru may not use poison overly often, but any good ninja, _(and all ANBU members),_ know the worst poisons in their country – and this is one of the plants often imported from Kaze no Kuni to Konoha, and not just for the seeds that create castor oil. Rather, Konoha ninja forces rely heavily on the plant for ricin; one of the most dangerous poisons without an antidote.

As he surveys the area, Jakkaru debates the likelihood of being found if he steps out of the forest and out into the open. He can easily make his way, remaining fairly hidden, to one of the buildings – but whether there are other traps lying around is unknown. It'd be so much easier if he could see seals, but Uzushio _trains_ trained their ninjas to hide seals so that targets would be caught by surprise. Potentially on the other side of this training, Jakkaru finds himself slightly frustrated, because he doesn't know if he can keep his team safe, _(he can't lose his team again)_.

After about five minutes of waiting, he takes a slow, creeping path around the outskirts of the area. The seal pulses its message at him, but the longer he spends resisting the seal, the easier it is. He's hidden in twisted shadows of one of the hastily-made wooden buildings with the forest at his back, when two people stop relatively close by. Rather than reacting, he slinks closer, henge strengthening with a single thought, _(he knows the danger he's in, but he also knows how much he'll put on the line)_.

"Etsuko-chan is ready, right?" The red-head says, _(red hair alike the Uzumaki Clan members and dark skin like that of the Uzushio people; he is stepping into the past whilst remaining firmly in the future). _

The second person nods. "Yeah, her hair's been properly bleached and she's pretty entrenched in her cover now. She's got everything she needs to pass within Konoha and get back out without being noticed."

"And Hibiki-sama?"

A pause, and then the second person answers, "They're getting worse. Shōta-san says he doesn't think that they'll make it through the next season."

"They'll see this through though," the red-head says. "We'll get our revenge for letting Uzushio fall. That's what we've been spending the past years doing. Hibiki-sama will rest easy, with Konoha's own decline."

The pair start moving away, and Jakkaru channels chakra into his ears to keep listening. However, just as he does so, his ANBU tattoo goes off, his teammates' chakras flaring in a distinct pattern – one that calls for help. He tears himself away, not glancing backwards as he slips further into the forest, henge continuing to hide him. Racing through the branches, he hears the noise of battle.

A pause, maybe half a second, to understand his team's position – that his teammates are backed up and losing against an overwhelming number, _(and against seals, because there is little defence against the seals of Uzushio unless one is of Uzushio)_. So, without furthering thinking, he leaps forward, landing between his teammates and those who attack them.

"Konoha dares defile the ANBU mask of Jakkaru by giving it to one of their own?" One ninja screams; and water slams towards his team, called by chakra and a few hand seals.

_(He may be of water and wind, once of Uzushio, but he is an Uchiha too.) _

A C-rank jutsu is easy to defeat, but a C-rank technique that's practised can be controlled to make it more dangerous. Speeding through six hand seals, and saying, "Fire Release: Great Fireball," Jakkaru barely pauses as the water stops in its tracks, turning to steam and hiding everyone from view. He claps his hands, "Wind Release: Gale Palm!" The result is that the steam no longer hides anyone from view.

No one moves, for a second, watching and waiting, taking in the changes. There are six ninjas against the four Konoha ANBU. Since they're back in the forest, Jakkaru knows he can't rely on his fire ninjutsus, and he's reluctant to use his water techniques against, _(maybe),_ Uzushio people who had also, once, lived with water techniques as part of the foundation for their fighting style.

Then, with a flicker of motion, the fighting renews. They're pressed into individual close battles, taijutsu and kenjutsu for the most part. Jakkaru slips around one blow and leaps backwards just as a seal forms in front of him.

_(The problem with seals is that so rarely can someone fight against them, because it is difficult to react through seals, and much easier to act first.) _

It's easy to leap upwards and go through the hand seals for the Body Replacement Technique, taking a position on a tree branch behind Ibisu's opponent. He leaps forward, only for another ninja to leap up from the ground and attempt to attack him. Twisting away, he secures himself horizontal on a tree trunk and bounces off it, throwing shurikens and kunais as he goes.

The only reason he sees Eruku fall is because he's in the middle of avoiding being engaged in a two-on-one battle. Immediately, his mind falls back to when Natusmi-sensei had fallen and he'd forced his teammates to retreat, _(but he knows his now-teammates won't retreat even if he ordered, they'd stay and fight to their deaths with him)_.

"Keep them alive for information!" One of the ninjas shouts by Eruku's fallen body, _(and Jakkaru knows that when someone wants information it means that they will torture them until they get the information they need – and he's not some chūnin now; it won't be as easy as it once had been)._

He knows now he can't avoid it forever, can't hide anything, and she he lands next to Eruku's body, calling Ibisu and Kyatapirā to him with a flare of chakra. His teammates fall into line beside him and he slams his hand down on the ground, constructing a barrier surrounding them. It won't hold for long – not against other seal masters.

:Plan,: Ibisu signals. :Taichō?:

:Alive,: Jakkaru signals back, :unknown.:

They're trapped – it's that simple. They know that this could easily be their end, _(and he is Toru Uchiha but these people are Uzushio and he… he trusts his teammates, trusts in their relationship, trusts in their names; trusts in where they had come from)_. Now, Eruku lies unconscious at their feet, and he faces those who would have once been under his command, _(in another life; in another world)_.

It's half a hope that his him speaking, all desperation, all memories that should have been left behind in a past life but weren't; it's the memories of meeting those of Uzushio – descendants and otherwise – in his current life and everything that has been and could be.

His seals are cracking beneath the might of six ninjas, and he reinforces it with a flare of chakra, sketching the seal in the air and causing the barrier to glow, even as he opens up his own chakra seal to boost his dropping chakra levels. "The sea never dies," he says in the quiet, _(even though it is not quite quiet, with the crackling of his chakra, the shuffling and curses of those around him, the forest sounds around all of them)_.

_(The words are not a benediction. The words will not save anything, not their lives or their souls.) _

_(They have nothing, now. When a village falls, when a clan dies, you're left with nothing but ashes and regrets and wishes of a past changed.)_

One of the ninjas hesitates, the older one, with grey streaking their hair. "Where did you hear that?" They ask, voice wavering, and they expect this is a trick, a lie and Jakkaru understands that. They are ninjas; they live in a world of untruths and façades.

_(This is not quite a turning point, and once he had an ending that hadn't actually been an ending, and this? This is just the middle, more than anything else.)_

_(He could spit out that he said it, that he heard it from his parents. He could say a lot of things, but he also really can't say anything.)_

"The Yondaime Uzukage, Toru Mizushima, said it upon his succession to the Uzukage position during the time before Uzushio fell," Toru says. He wracks his mind for the memory of someone by the name of Hibiki, someone important. "Someone mentioned Hibiki – Hibiki Kurosawa, correct? They were thirty years old when Uzushio fell, a jōnin. They had been injured in a mission earlier and so had been ordered to protect one of the groups that had left before Uzushio had fallen."

"How do you know this?" Someone asks, voice accusing more than anything else.

"We'll take them to Hibiki-sama," the older ninja decides. "Your teammates, will they remain here?"

Jakkaru turns to his teammates who are trusting him in this. :Stay barrier,: he orders. :Safe. Message ANBU-seal-tattoo help.:

:No,: Kyatapirā immediately replies, but her hand signs are slow, and they all know this is their best way of getting out unharmed.

:Barrier teammates escape,: Jakkaru answers. He bends down and scribbles two more seals to power the barrier, one being the seal he created years ago that will give any of their, _(maybe and shouldn't be),_ opponents pause.

:Safe,: Ibisu says, tension clear in his shoulders and stance. The message is for all of them, to stay safe, to stay strong. ANBU sign language isn't the most cohesive thing in the world, but – as teammates – they know each other well enough to understand the meaning behind a single world.

Stepping out of the barrier doesn't feel freeing, it just feels nerve wracking, makes his shoulders rise because he knows how easy it would be for someone to stab him in the back. The barrier continues to crackle behind him, and he meets the older ninja's gaze, and here he is as Jakkaru, _(he has always been Jakkaru and he will always be Jakkaru)_.

His arms are twisted behind him, wire securing them, and he's forced to walk forward. The binding would be difficult to escape without serious injury, but then if he's trying to escape, he won't be caring about how injured he gets but rather his teammates. When it comes to his teammates being in danger, there is very little that would stop him, _(he ordered one team away, but he won't let these ones get away)_.

They lead him into the cleared section of the forest, where a group of ninjas have gathered – clearly, they had somehow sent a message ahead. Hibiki Kurosawa is there too – a walking stick and grey hair, wrinkles at the corners of their eyes and lips and breaking their once-smooth forehead. Their face remains familiar, though, despite the changes that time has brought.

"Who is this?" Hibiki asks, and despite the walking stick, they appear strong, dangerous. "Why do they wear the mask of our leader?" Jakkaru is forced onto his knees and he hates this, because he is vulnerable here and in danger, but he doesn't falter.

"They know our Yondaime's saying," the older ninja explains. "Gave themselves for their teammates to explain how they know this."

"Well?" Hibiki asks, glancing at Jakkaru, who lifts his chin and straightens his shoulders.

_(ANBU Commander. Uzukage. He is Jakkaru and Toru – these names have always been his.)_

_(Breathe in, breathe out, and move forward. You have this Toru-kun, and so do your best, no one will ask anything more of you.) _

_(Your teammates matter, Jakkaru, so remember them – as they are and as they have been and think who they could be. Remember that everyone is your teammate, in the end.)_

"I am Jakkaru," he says. "My ninja registration number was 03-213-987 until Uzushio's fall twenty-seven years ago. I was Toru Mizushima. Our village fell, and so many of us died, but Uzushio _lives._ We have always been Uzushio, all of us, all those who have needed a home. The sea never dies and it hasn't. The sea lives and the tide goes out and it comes back in. So trust me, when I say that the sea never dies, Hibiki of the Kurosawa Clan. Uzushio was made of seals, the village was built on seals, and thus, chakra. We all know this. We learn this because we are born in Uzushio and live in Uzushio. Uzushio refused to let our village be forgotten and so they reminded me."

"Toru Mizushima?" Hibiki echoes before laughing harshly. "A likely story. Konoha let Uzushio die! You're just trying to stop us with petty lies."

"Since when does Uzushio blame children and future generations for something caused by a dead Elder? Uzushio's fall was due to rumours caused by an organisation known as ROOT led by Danzō Shimura, who caused many events and problems – including the massacre of the Uchiha Clan," Jakkaru replies, a snarl hidden in his voice.

"Konoha didn't help us!" Hibiki roars.

"Konoha didn't know," Jakkaru snarls back, because he is arguing to stop his people from making a mistake that could kill them. It would lead to a war, to deaths that could be avoided. "Because Uragiru Tsune never made it to Konoha. She died, killed by Danzō, who was killed a few years ago after he tried to kill me _again_. Eye thief that he was; child stealer! Stolen from their beds – an Asano Clan member and an Abe Clan member. We took them back and now they know of Uzushio and what once was and what will be."

"Facts that could be made up," Hibiki says. "There is no proof in your words, and you offer no evidence."

_(There is no evidence for anything Jakkaru can say, and he will not be believed by these revenge-driven people, not due to any words he says. Chakra though – chakra remembers, and seals are not easily forgotten either.)_

Whilst most ninjas, when they think of seals, consider that seals are created by chakra channelled through fingers, there are very, very few who realise that seals are chakra and lines. Chakra can create lines, and if you can channel chakra and direct it, you can create seals. Jakkaru is almost certain that there's nothing that's purely Uzushio and could prove his identity easily. But–

There are things that only an Uzukage will know.

"What evidence could I possibly offer?" He asks, speaking, shrugging his shoulders, drawing attention from the way he shuffles his foot, the way he draws a symbol on the ground. Meeting Hibiki's eyes from the safety of behind a mask, he stomps his foot and channels chakra into the ground.

The ninjas around him instantly leap back, but Jakkaru just takes a single step and reveals the glowing symbol on the ground – Uzushio's.

* * *

_Toru grins at his teammates – they're out of their ANBU uniform, and had detached themselves rather firmly from the ANBU mindset; regardless, their stunned expressions are rather humorous. He's new to his position, his promotion to ANBU Captain finds him with fourteen years of ninja experience under his belt, and two years as an ANBU. It's not overly surprising – he's far from the youngest ANBU Captain or one with the shortest experience. Those titles belong to Buta and Kanaria, respectively. Buta was one of the best ANBUs until their death five years ago and became an ANBU Captain at seventeen. Kanaria, on the other hand, retired nine years ago from ANBU and had been promoted to ANBU Captain after eight months of ANBU experience. _

_"Taichō," Mari Sato, taijutsu expert of the team, begins. "I don't- This isn't- We're ANBU!"_

_Rocking on his heels, Toru tilts his head, "Where is your point?"_

_"I think what Mari-san is trying to say," Saya Uzumaki, a medic when her face is hidden behind a tiger mask, says, "is that we're ANBU and so it's a strange… suggestion for training."_

_Their last team member, Kanko Tahara and second in command, narrows his eyes at Toru. "Exactly, so what do you actually want us to do?"_

_(He's twenty-four and had become a genin at ten. He's seen many things in his life and has learnt many things. He knows there is still much that remains unknown to him, but he also knows that sometimes acting like children is exactly what adults need to do.) _

_"Trust me, this will be quite helpful," Toru replies. Letting chakra pool in his feet, he steps backward and rests on the wet sand, chakra ensuring he doesn't sink into it. His team still look unsure, perhaps thinking that this is hazing of some kind. After all, very few – if any – ANBU Captains organise team training in the middle of the night by the ocean and tell their teammates that they're going to play a game used by genins. _

_Sensing, and understanding, their hesitation, Toru says, "I'll start as the person who's It, and I'll give you ten seconds to get out onto the ocean. And, if in five minutes, you still don't wish to continue this training, I'll organise something else."_

_"I don't understand how this will help with team training," Saya says, and looks like she's considering to ignore him, (they are all determined and stubborn and will anchor their feet with chakra if such a thing is required). _

_However, Kanko – with one last glance at Toru – gamely leaps out onto the ocean, speeding away and clearly planning to keep out of reach of his captain for the next five minutes. Mari, catching onto his plan, follows the other ninja. With a sigh, Saya makes her way out onto the ocean. _

_Despite the dark sky ahead, the moon provides plenty of light. The wind, though, having picked up late in the afternoon is sending large waves crashing down onto the shore and making water walking more difficult than usual. Nevertheless, as ANBUs, it doesn't faze any of them. Once the initial ten seconds is up, Toru leaps out to crouch on the ocean surface. A wave crests over him, and with a grin, he dives into the water, hiding himself from sight. _

_(Uzushio ninjas are strong swimmers, and beneath the waves of the ocean, very few can keep up.)_

_It's easy to track Saya's chakra signature. Since the Uzumaki had been the most reluctant, she's the one he has to tag. Based on his first impressions and her psychological file, she should respond to a competition rather well, especially if he tags her in such a way that she wants to gain revenge. _

_Just as his lungs start burning, he reaches her position. With chakra, he leaps out of the water, moving quickly and kicking out to splash her with the freezing cold water of the ocean. He follows the water, tapping her on the arm, and darting away. She splutters in rage, immediately going to follow him before he ducks underneath the water, having prepared for swimming with the correct clothing and keeping his weapons in seals so that they wouldn't be ruined. _

_The others, it seems, had not prepared in the same way. _

_He resurfaces a hundred metres from Kanko, shaking his body to remove the excess water. Kanko glances at him, but returns his attention elsewhere, clearly recognising that Toru is no longer It. _

_Ocean Tag is game often used by jōnin senseis to teach genins how to water walk and the tricks that come with walking on the ocean – adjusting for waves and currents and learning how to skate through. Not to mention, it aids with increasing chakra reserves and improving chakra control, both of which are helpful when one is a ninja. Once past genin status, many ninjas stopped playing the game, viewing it as something for genins and children as a whole. _

_Toru, however, had recognised that the game could be quite a bit deadlier and quite interesting when one is no longer a genin. By one person being known as It, those left over could team up to avoid being It. Moreover, by someone being tagged It, they would be encouraged to try and get their own back, thus learning the skills of those around them and improving their tracking for a specific team member. Doing it at night and with the ocean waves crashing down everyone makes it more difficult to locate others, and should disadvantage his teammates enough that they start relying on each other to help. Plus, it lets Toru hide beneath the waves and use water techniques to cause some havoc. _

_Saya jumps up out of the water, soaking wet, but clearly not caring, and goes to attack Toru. He grins, flipping out of the way and landing next to Kanko, who already seems to be trying to avoid Saya. With a quick set of hand seals, Toru sends a wave of water shoving Saya towards Kanko. Clearly recognising the easier target, Saya tags Kanko, clipping him and sending him off balance and into an incoming wave, before heading off with a glare at Toru. _

_Kanko rises with a fierce expression, aiming for Toru, who slips out of the way and casts his senses out to find his last teammate, Mari. He's managed to get both Saya and Kanko on the warpath after him, so if he gets the last one, they should team up to tag him._

_Since they're the only ones out on the ocean in the moonlight, Toru finds it easy to locate Mari. She clearly hasn't noticed his trick of going underwater, which Saya has also taken to using. It's a trick that won't be useful for much more of the training session, since they're now aware of it. Still, after focussing on the shape of the chakra beneath his feet, he skates forward and over rolling waves to where the kunoichi waits, ready to dart away when it becomes necessary. _

_Of course, since Kanko is following him, it means that Mari attempts to flee as Toru closes in. Nevertheless, Toru isn't an ANBU Captain solely for his leadership skills, his intelligence. He gained the position through his own merit and power as well. So, he pours on the speed and lets his chakra propel him forward faster, managing to keep pace with the taijutsu expert. However, the pace they're running at is one he can't keep up for long, so he sends a burst of chakra into the water, causing the water to explode in front of them, forcing Mari to stop. Meanwhile, he leaps forward and dives into the water, enveloped by the coldness just as Kanko tags Mari. _

_The game has been ongoing for over five minutes now, and Toru has no idea how much distance he's covered via running and swimming. However, he does know that the chill of the water is starting to settle in his bones and that he's starting to shiver as his body tries to warm itself up. This means he should probably have the game end soon, as there's no point putting himself at risk for a simple training exercise. _

_Thus, without further thought, he lets himself rise to the surface, the cold wind cuts him down to his bones and so he nudges his chakra towards fire, warming his body slightly so he's no longer shivering uncontrollably._

_A splash of water is all the warning he has, and he leaps up, twisting sideways, and lands a metre away from Sayu. The kunoichi snarls at him and leaps forward, red-hair plastered to her scalp despite the elaborate braid it's in. Ducking beneath one kick, he pushes her slightly, and channels more chakra into the water, pushing her off balance and allowing him to gain the space needed to go through a set of hand seals. The wave of water takes Sayu by surprise and sends her spluttering, but she doesn't get knocked off balance. _

_Before Toru can do anything else, he flips backward, avoiding Kanko's attack. There's no real way he can win against his team, and he knows this, largely because his best asset is, (has always been), his seals and he will not use his seals, (which are dangerous to those who go against them because he is not safe or merciful when it comes to Uzushio's enemies, no matter what he had once thought as a child), against them. _

_Laughing, he avoids a combined attack from Kanko and Sayu, not doing anything more than stomping harder on the water and splashing the pair. A pirouette has him avoiding an uppercut from Mari, who shoots out of the water without warning. _

_From there, Toru quickly loses to the superior numbers and power of his team, and concedes with a smile. Mari tags him with a tap on his head and a content grin of her own. Toru shifts, straightening, and the kunoichi instantly falls into line with her other two teammates. "Any complaints?" He asks. _

_Saya shakes her head, pulling her hair out of the braid and letting it drop down onto her back. "My apologies for earlier; I see now that you knew what you were talking about."_

_Mari nods in agreement. "Despite my earlier concerns, this proved rather helpful in regards to teamwork."_

_Kanko laughs, "Taichō," he says, "I think this is a great start to our team." Letting go of the tension and steel of command that had slid up his spine, Toru grins, (he will make them the best team)._

* * *

**Toru's ANBU mission goes from easy to terrible, and memories of what once was come back to haunt him.**

* * *

_**Well, what do you think? I'm not sure of how my portrayal of Toru's is working out, because he's really caught between Konoha and Uzushio, his people and then his current friends and family. He also doesn't know who he can or can't trust, and he's struggling with his own memories and emotions on top of everything else. **_

_**In case it wasn't clear, the group of ninjas found by Toru's ANBU team are Uzushio people or Uzushio descendants, and they're planning to plant ricin in Konoha's water source, poisoning everyone, in response to believing that Konoha allowed Uzushio to fall. Toru's trying to stop that with his team... It's not working too well, because these guys are a lot more suspicious than others that Toru has met, and also very uncertain whether Toru is telling the truth. Plus, it's pretty unbelievable. **_

_**I don't have much to say for this chapter, in all honesty, except for the fact I stopped the mission where it was because I wasn't sure how I wanted to handle the next part. Anyway, enjoy guys!**_


	15. Fighters

Hibiki Kurosawa knows anger. They have been angry for most of their life, a bone-deep feeling that reminds them of what they have to do. Their life has been fading away from him; since two years ago, when they picked up an unshakeable cough that only worsened as the months passed. Nonetheless, they know what they have to do before they die, _(anger is red hot and dangerous, and they will use it to let blood run through the streets as it had been in Uzushio when they had fallen)_.

Now, staring at this young LEAF with a jackal mask, they're uncertain what to do. They have known for so long that Uzushio must be avenged, but now there's something in their way – and they speak as their Yondaime had once spoken. They mention children and Konoha and protects them both, _(and Hibiki knows that there would be children and so many suffering, but for Uzushio's fall and Konoha's crimes, it must be so)._

A single shinobi will not stop him. Taking in a deep breath, Hibiki reminds themselves of this, centring himself with the determination of an Uzushio shinobi. "This is how it must be," they say. "You cannot stop us."

The LEAF sucks in a breath, shaky – and their shoulders rise, they straighten and they must be so, so young. "I do not desire to stand against those who would have once protected Uzushio, but if you follow this path – you are not Uzushio's. We have always condemned the killing of children except for where it must be so. Uzushio would never hold generations of innocents responsible for what one dead man caused."

Hibiki wonders what the LEAF thinks their words will do. They, and those who have survived with him and Uzushio descendants, would not give up due to simple words, no matter what they say. This is how it must be, _(there is no other way; they should have died when Uzushio fell, but sent away they could not, and so they will choose this as their last mission)._ "Find out what the LEAF members know," Hibiki orders. "We could do with all their information on Konoha." A glowing seal that is Uzushio's symbol doesn't mean anything, _(can't mean anything; he can't let this stop him). _The ninja in front of him snarls, chakra flaring and Hibiki can sense the anger, the betrayal, _(protection, but such a thing doesn't make any sense)_.

"He's no lying, Hibiki-sama," someone says before anything happens, and the LEAF pauses.

Hibiki narrows their eyes at Michi, _(who had brought the LEAF here, to clearly see their setup, and Michi has always been the one to protest Hibiki's plans, even if they always went with it in the end)_. However, before Hibiki can say anything, the other ninja turns to face the Konoha ANBU. "My name is Michi Sasaki," they say, and then wait.

"Where's Shōta-kun, Kotone-chan, and Aina-chan? You all made it out, didn't you?" The ANBU asks, after the pause had stretched out. They glance around. "Wait, Kotone-chan fought us. What about the others?"

Michi inclines their head. "Shōta took after his mother and is now our best medic. Kotone, as you saw earlier, is fine and has become an accomplished fighter. Aina is currently on patrol, although I'll have to work with their team since they apparently missed an entire Konoha ANBU team coming toward us."

"That's good," the ANBU replies, and Hibiki shifts their weight, deciding to let this conversation run its course. "And it's not Aina-chan's fault, my team kept their distance and I took over stealth, since I was the one with the fūinjutsu knowledge. They had no way that they needed to combat seals as well as my stealth on top of that."

"Bingo Book, B-rank," Etsuko says from behind them. "I assumed rumours of a jackal-masked ANBU were rumours caused by others from Uzushio, but they weren't, were they?" The LEAF nods. "Stealth assassin," she continues, "nothing else is known and there's no note of other skills at all."

"It certainly helped when I found the Hagoromo Clan," the ANBU admits, and Hibiki almost attacks the other ninja, because that is not where they wanted the conversation to go!

"My clan's alive?" Rikuto asks, stepping forward and closer to the LEAF, who glances at the shinobi, studying him with a tilted face.

"The Hagoromo Clan are alive, and not just them. The Takahashi Clan found a place of safety as well," the masked ninja answers. "Hoshiko-chan was leading the group, no longer the ten-year-old genin she had been. I am sure she would accept all who claimed Hagoromo linage. You are still part of the clan…" The ninja trails off, before sighing. "I apologise, I cannot place your face. You look like Midori Abe and Asuka Hagoromo; their child?"

"Yes," Rikuto says with a soft smile. "They were my parents. I was three when Uzushio fell, and my mother took me, while my father stayed behind."

"He fought well," the ANBU says, voice lined with certainty and strength. "All of us who remained behind. We all fought, down to our deaths, bleeding and injured, poisoned and dying, we fought and I was so proud of all of us. Uzushio was too, and Uzushio will be proud of us once more."

"Jakkaru-sama," Hibiki's second says, and Hibiki glares at the Satomi Akimizu, but knows they can't tell their second to stop. Satomi only lets Hibiki lead, and is much more powerful than Hibiki, especially now. She bows low, an ANBU to her ANBU Commander and Hibiki scoffs, not bothering to hide his derision.

"Koara," the other ANBU says. "You survived, good. Although, I suppose Satomi is perhaps what I should be calling you."

"It is you, then," Satomi whispers, stepping forward. "You're actually here. I thought you fell and you did. You had to have fallen!"

"I did, but I didn't have to remain fallen," the shinobi says, and lets Satomi approach. Hibiki can only shout in outrage as the once ANBU cuts through the wire holding the Konoha-nin captive.

She takes up a position next to him, lifting her chin, and meeting Hibiki's gaze. "I will not let you harm our Uzukage," she says. "He is who he says he is."

"You don't know he's telling the truth!" Hibiki spits out; at the same time, Michi moves to stand on the Konoha-nin's other size, _(they're betraying him)_.

"We have to trust him. Uzushio's never led us wrong before," Michi says and, after hesitating, Rikuto stands with them as well.

"You're betraying me! Our village! What our people died for!" Hibiki shouts. "Would you all do this?"

"But what if we're not?" Etsuko asks. "What if this is what Uzushio wanted for us? For Jakkaru-sama to stop us from making a mistake that would destroy us? You know if we killed children, killed innocents, that many of us would simply stop living. We were trying to do what you wished, Hibiki-sama, but this is another way. We should take it."

"You betray me too, then," Hibiki says sadly, _(they may be old and dying, but they are not powerless)_.

"You are angry, Hibiki-san, and rightfully so, but you don't need to do this," their enemy urges, _(trying to stop them from avenging Uzushio like their fallen village demands)_.

And Hibiki… Hibiki knows anger, knows the way it can be hot or cold, sharp or blunt, knows the way it tightens vines around their lungs and slips between their ribs and grow from their heart. Except…

_(They've been grieving a long time, mourning a village that fell. It had been easier to turn to hatred, to anger, than accept what had happened to them, and having a goal kept them from fading and leaving and just giving up on living. But now? Now it seems that something is meant to change, and they don't quite know if they can do that anymore, if they have the ability to let go of everything they've held onto for so long.) _

"You have a mission, don't you?" They ask instead. "You wouldn't be investigating this unless you had a mission about this. You can't just let us go."

"I can burn this place to the ground so it seems that you all perished in the fire," the ninja answers.

"Your team will know otherwise," Hibiki points out. "There's no way this can work."

"My teammates are of Uzushio blood. They will do as I ask," the ANBU says. "This can work out well, as long as you don't go against Konoha."

Hibiki laughs, _(full of scorn, full of hopelessness, full of emptiness because they have no anger or hatred to hold onto anymore)_. "They will go against Konoha?"

"They will trust me first," the Konoha-nin says, after a beat. "They have reason to."

"Fine, we'll try it your way," Hibiki says, turning their back on the group. "Satomi-san, you can take over and look after… Jakkaru."

The ANBU removes his mask, slipping it sideways to reveal his surprisingly youthful face, _(although, Hibiki had guessed at his age)_. "It's Toru," the shinobi says. "It's always been Toru."

Hibiki snorts and steps forward, out of view and inside, a coughing fit waiting to latch onto them, _(they aren't surprised, and yet they are surprised)_.

_(It's Uzushio though, so they don't find themselves unhappy with the changes, even if they no longer know what to do or where to go.)_

* * *

"You didn't have to do that," Toru says to Satomi.

"It was our choice," Michi responds. "And our trouble with Hibiki-san was going to boil over at some point or another. This was, actually, the best outcome. Kotone, go fetch Toru's teammates, yes? Tell them we are of Uzushio and so they are welcome amongst us."

Sending a rapid-fire pulses of chakra through his ANBU seal-tattoo, Toru nods. "They will come," he agrees. "How many people are here?"

"From Uzushio, we number about twenty, but we also have around sixteen descendants," Satomi says. "We all started in small groups and came together, slowly, four or so years after Uzushio's fall. We've picked up people since then, some who had been separated from other groups or small groups that had stayed together. The evacuation plan worked rather well. I haven't heard of anyone who'd been caught."

"That's good," Toru says, _(speaking with a dry mouth, because he had hoped, but he had expected the worst – yet it had worked, everything had worked, Uzushio hadn't fallen for nothing)_. He summons Kumiko of the Shita Clan. The cockroach appears on the palm of his hand with a silent burst of smoke. "Kumiko-san, would you be willing to stay with this group of ninjas in case we need to communicate?"

"Yamoto is rarely seen nowadays," Kumiko answers, "but is always happy and enjoys seeing outside of our home. Perhaps a journey will bring me joy, too. Call on our leaders more often, Toru-san. You are our summoner."

"My apologies, Kumiko-san," Toru says, "and thank you." Kumiko nods and climbs up onto his shoulder.

"Our thanks too, Kumiko-san, Toru-sama," Satomi says as the cockroach lands on her shoulder. "Do you have any orders?"

"Stay out of danger," he immediately answers, a wry twist to his mouth. "Be careful, see if you can locate others of Uzushio. But… be prepared for mass movement in the upcoming years, I suppose. It will soon be time to go home for good. We all need somewhere to be at peace and no longer need to hide. Somewhere safe to return to."

"That-" Satomi chokes up over the words. "That would be good."

_(It would be much more than good, it would be so much more that none of them can really articulate how much it would mean to them, the emotions it draws from them.) _

Ibisu and Kyatapirā race into the area, taking up positions on either side of Toru and blocking those of Uzushio from approaching him. On Kyatapirā's back, rests Eruku, still unconscious. "Jakkaru?" Ibisu asks, eyeing those around him warily.

"They're not going to harm us," Toru answers. "They're from Uzushio. We've reached an agreement. They'll leave and not try to harm Konoha."

"As long as we hide their existence," Kyatapirā says, instantly catching on, "since the mission demands that they die, as the rumours are true. You're asking us to hide this from Eruku-san?"

Hesitating, Toru nods. "Please, but this isn't an order."

Ibisu straightens, "We won't have long until Eruku wakes, so let's get to work."

Toru blinks in surprise, twisting to look at Kyatapirā who nudges him. "We're a team and we're of Uzushio, all three of us. You helped teach us who we are and where we come from. I think it'd be good if we could keep whatever of Uzushio remains alive, don't you?" The kunoichi says.

"Yeah," Toru says proudly, helplessly, in awe of the two ninjas he calls his teammates. "I do."

* * *

Naruto hurriedly takes a seat next to Sasuke, knowing he has only a minute until the third trial of the chūnin exam officially begins. "No sign?" He whispers to Sasuke, who frowns and shakes his head, _(he feels guilty that he's upset with Toru for not being able to make it, even when he understands that Toru has no choice in the length of his missions)._

"He did say that it was going to be a long mission," Sasuke whispers back. "Besides, he's made it to so many other things, it's alright if he misses this." Naruto frowns, _(and he can't help but feel upset because Sasuke seems so used to this, and he knows that Toru wouldn't do this on purpose, but emotions are illogical things)._ "It's alright, really," Sasuke adds. "He's not forgotten about me or any such thing. He's… He's kind of better than my father was, to be honest."

"Oh, Sasuke," Sakura says, and hugs the Uchiha, which causes Naruto also hug him and creates a team hug. Eventually, with a few well-placed elbows, Sasuke stops the hug. Just in time, too, as the Hokage stands up, causing silence to fall across the stadium.

"Welcome all, and thank you for coming to Konoha for the third trial of the chūnin exam. And congratulations, once again, to those participants who have made it so far. The inter-village chūnin exams that remain a tradition, over a decade later, since the end of the last war. The inter-village chūnin exams remind us all why war is something to be detested and avoided at all costs. And now, since I have spoken for long enough and I'm sure you all wish for the third trial to begin, I hand over to Hayate-san," the Hokage announces.

The person in question coughs a bit, standing in the middle of the empty arena ground. "These matches will be akin to the preliminary round a month ago. The matches are one-on-one and a participant can win through their opponent yielding. This can be done in three manners – one, the participant states that they yield; two, the participant is unable to fight due to dying or falling unconscious; or three, I – as the proctor – step in and declare the participant unable to continue fighting. Unlike the preliminary round, one does not have to win to be granted the title of chūnin. The first match will be Shino Aburame of Konohagakure versus Kankurō of Sungakure."

Shino stands gracefully, two seats down from Naruto, but before he can even head down the stairs, Kankurō rises from the group of Suna-nins and shouts, "I yield!" Shino pauses before the stairs, tilting his head towards the proctor.

Frowning the proctor nods his head, "In an unorthodox manner, Kankurō of Sunagakure forfeits his match to Shino Aburame of Konohagakure, allowing them to continue onto round two without a fight. The second match is between Shikamaru Nara of Konohagakure versus Neji Hyūga of Konohagakure."

The Nara stands with a thoughtful frown, a glance to his left shows him that the other Konoha genin is also standing and now heading towards the arena ground. "Good luck, Shika!" Ino calls as the younger genin reaches the stairs. Shikamaru lifts a hand in acknowledgement before disappearing downwards. He's rather frustrating with the change in events where Shino doesn't fight, since he'd been slightly depending on not going first. After all, now the onus is on him to start the chūnin exam off well and increase the attention that everyone pays Konoha, _(and since he's a Nara, he's probably expected to be aware of such things and therefore show off)_.

Realistically, it just means he has to go with his second plan rather than his first, _(then again, he had partially assumed his first plan wouldn't work anyway)._ As he steps out onto the arena, he sighs, but stretches his arms above his head and takes a stance opposite Neji.

Shikamaru has fought Hinata before, and held his own against the Hyūga Clan Heir, but Neji is better. He's a year older, meaning he's stronger, but he's also more experienced. The genin has been acknowledged as a genius, certainly not on Shikamaru's level, but underestimating Neji will only lead to Shikamaru's downfall, _(and so will overestimating Neji)_. The taijutsu style of the Hyūga Clan would be detrimental if a blow lands on him, as it would render him unable to utilise chakra properly – which he will need to make through this trial. In the end, it means that Shikamaru can't simply use close-range taijutsu and has to avoid almost everyone of Neji's attacks.

"Start!" The proctor calls and Shikamaru flips backward, away from Neji's charge.

He can't trick Neji into thinking he's somewhere he's not as the other can see his chakra and tell one of the weak illusion clones as not him, since they lack his chakra system. However, Shikamaru is aware of this and his weekly training with his friends has enabled him to think up a few tricks, _(and Hinata has been willing to spar against him; he's not cheating, just using his resources wisely)_.

Since he needs to show off his power, he's going to focus on his ninjutsu in this match. Not to mention, it's also one of the best ways to defeat Neji, since taijutsu – whilst can be used as a defence against ninjutsu, it isn't the best or easier way of doing so. As Neji is a taijutsu specialist, it means that as long as he avoids engaging with taijutsu, he should be alright.

"Earth Release: Hiding Like A Mole Technique!" He calls out after flipping through the various hand seals. Sinking beneath the earth, he sends a thick wave of chakra out to cover the ground around him in a ten-metre radius. The chakra strain is ridiculous, but he's fairly certain he can recover quite well in about an hour.

Hidden underground, he places his hands in the bird hand seal, his attention focussed on Neji's chakra signature pulsing gently above him. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears."

His chakra levels drop, once again, but he pays attention to the way Neji's chakra flares and starts twirling around the other boy. It's the ultimate defence, and now that Shikamaru knows how Neji's chakra acts when the move is undertaken, he knows when he should attack.

Gritting his teeth, Shikamaru surges upward and yanks Neji downward, easily pulling the other genin below the earth. Since he's chakra is embedded so deeply in the earth around him, _(and it's an unorthodox use of earth chakra and one he's never heard of, but he had thought of it and so he decided to use it; earth chakra may not be his chakra affinity, but he makes it work anyway)_.

_(Not that he actually knows his chakra affinity, since he's unwilling to find out due to the psychological effects and belief that it would mean he is better at one nature chakra than another. There's been research into it and it became labelled as the placebo effect and that knowing your chakra affinity only had a psychological impact and didn't actually offer any help. Yes, having a chakra affinity made it easier to use one specific chakra nature, but knowing such a thing often caused a person to inhibit their own ability to use other chakra natures. Asuma-sensei hadn't initially believed Shikamaru when he'd told his teacher, but then that may have been because he had been explaining research from a book written a decade and a half ago. Ino backing him up with a Yamanaka book written earlier this year had been what had convinced Asuma-sensei in the end.)_

Neji struggles, trying to escape the hold of the hardened earth, and Shikamaru rose out of the earth, a kunai in hand. He quickly places it beside Neji's throat, who freezes instinctively.

"Yield," the older genin admits, and Shikamaru sighs, letting go of the technique and rapidly feeling the result, as the chakra drain stops in its tracks. Neji escapes the earth easily enough, chakra loosening the earth around him. "Good match," the Hyūga says, meeting Shikamaru's eyes. "It was smart, how you figured out a way to avoid my eyes by hiding your chakra beneath the ground through a chakra field of sorts."

"Thank you," Shikamaru answers, "You fought well."

"The winner of this match is Shikamaru Nara of Konohagakure! Both Nobu Sasaki of Kumogakure and Yui Yoshido of Takigakure forfeited their matchesover the break citing injuries. So, will Kiba Inuzuka of Konohagakure and Lee of Konohagakure come down to the arena?" The proctor calls as the first fighters head back up the stairs.

Lee gives a thumps-up to his teammate as they pass on the stairs. "That was a youthful match, Neji! It is disappointing that Shikamaru-kun managed to defeat you, but you fought well regardless!"

"Thanks Lee," Neji replies, a few steps up from the arena. "Good luck. Let Team Gai's true strength be seen."

The other genin basically shines at him, bearing a grin that seems to take up most of his face, and speeds down the last of the stairs. Reaching the arena, Lee takes up a position opposite his opponents. Neji is a genius at taijutsu, easily spotting holes in his opponent's defence and using the Hyūga Clan taijutsu to stop them from using chakra. Lee doesn't have any of that, _(but he's never let that stop him before and he won't let it stop him now). _All he has his hard work and the results to show for it. He's not weaker than Neji. He can't use chakra, and that means he can keep up with Neji.

_(You take what you can get and then you make your weaknesses work for you.)_

Gai-sensei has given him permission to use his full speed, to not wear his weights today, and he can still feel how much lighter on his feet he is and the ease at which he moves through the air, hours after having taken them off.

Kiba and his ninken have shown a tendency towards taijutsu with a focus on brute strength. Lee's fairly certain that the Inuzuka has some clan techniques up their sleeve, but as long as Lee avoids the attack, he's certain he'll be fine and be capable of winning the round.

"Start!"

Lee charges forward, having decided that if he gives Kiba no time to attack or even think up a plan, he'll be much likelier in winning the match. Halting just before the younger boy, he knocks him on the temple, taking care to use just enough strength to knock the Inuzuka out.

Pausing, Lee watches as the Konoha genin tilts backwards, collapsing. "Lee wins!" The proctor calls. "The next match will be between Chōji Akimichi of Konohagakure and Gaara of Sunagakure!"

Up in the stands, Chōji stands up and leans over the railing. "I yield!" He shouts clearly, _(there are risks that you dare to take and there are risks that you know not to take)._

The proctor frowns. "Due to Chōji Akimichi of Konohagakure forfeiting, Gaara of Sunagakure will move onto the next match. The next contestants are Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure versus Mao Fujita of Kusagakure! Please come down to the arena."

Naruto bounces down the stairs, an easy grin on his face. Since his power is known, as he clearly demonstrated his preference for heavy hitting and chakra-draining techniques, he now has to rely on his intelligence and think up tactics on the spot. However, he's not really alone, _(how could he be alone when he has friends and teammates and family in all but blood)_. Jiraiya had taught him techniques and Kakashi had refined that teaching, enabling Naruto to actually use the techniques. Toru had reminded him not to hide who he was and helped with various skills. His friends, though? They had helped him with his tricks in battle rather than prepared before battle.

_(His pranking skills, although they vanished almost entirely in later years, had been well known for a brief amount of time. Thus, his trapping skills had been noted as masterful, creative, and done well even if they hadn't been as advanced as, say, those of a chūnin's. Regardless, being able to trap the area around him to the point where a jōnin is hard-pressed to find a clear path is a feat, even if such a skill is fairly useless in battle.)_

However, when you can't trap the ground before the battle, you're left trying to trap the ground in the midst of battle, which – surprisingly – isn't as hard as one would imagine, especially against a genin.

"Start!" The proctor shouts, leaping out of the way.

Naruto quickly places his hands in the clone hand seals and says, "Shadow Clone Technique!" Three clones appear next to him, and – in unison – throw down smoke bombs with him. The air becomes dark, and Naruto can barely see his hand in front of his face. Not that such a thing matters, as he quickly grabs his trapping supplies out and sets about moving in a circle.

He sprinkles caltrops in one spot, a trip wire in another, a burst of chakra to turn the ground to soft sand, _(a trick he'd accidently created when fighting with Sasuke against Toru),_ and a simple wire trap in another location.

The smoke's quickly dispersing and he's assaulted with the memories of his third, and final, clone as they pop. The Kusagakure-nin turns towards him, and so he throws two kunais at the other ninja. Fujita dodges the attack, but a twist of Naruto's fingers has the kunais moving again. He hisses slightly as the wire cuts into his fingers, but ignores it, focussing on manipulating Ueda into a trap.

The Kusagakure-nin dodges, but stumbles in the patch of soft sand that Naruto had created moments earlier. He lunges forward, a punch knocking Fujita towards the obvious trip wire. However, Fujita steps in the other direction, and another twist of Naruto's fingers has the kunais slipping into his hands and giving him extended reach. Sweeping out with his foot to knock the other genin off balance, Naruto is forced to step backwards as the other jumps up and kicks out in the same motion.

When the Kusagakure-nin lands, though, they land in the simple wire trap, the wire loop tightens around their ankle instantly, cutting into the skin. Naruto pauses, a step away, a third strand of wire in his hand attached to the trip. Fujita meets his eyes, and then inclines their head. "Yield," they say. Grinning, Naruto flips the wire over, causing it to loosen and come undone.

"Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure wins!" The proctor announces as Naruto picks up his other traps and stores them away for later use. "Could Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure and Temari of Sunagakure come down?"

"Good luck!" Sakura shouts loudly in Sasuke's ear. The Uchiha takes a step away, narrowing his eyes at the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Thanks," he says quietly, meeting her smirk evenly. "You better meet us in the final."

Sakura throws her head back and laughs, _(there's no hesitation in their minds, they know they can get to the top – together)_. "You bet it!" She admits.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke heads down the steps, Takuma beside him. "Good luck," Naruto says as the pair pass each other.

"You did well," Sasuke replies, pausing, "Toru would be proud." Naruto sniffs, rubs his eyes, and gives the other boy a grin. Everything said and done, they continued on to their respective locations – Naruto to his seat amongst the other Konoha ninjas who'd advanced to the third trial and Sasuke to the arena below.

Entering the arena isn't as nerve wracking as Sasuke had expected it. There are eyes on him, yes, but then there always seems to be eyes on him. He's an Uchiha, one of the last of the clan, and that means something. People cited his intelligence and called him a genius, assumed that everything he showed when he is at his best came from his genetics, not from work and help from others.

_(But people like to do that. They like to see what people present and assume that there's nothing behind it. It's why, at first, people saw Sakura's pink hair and thought she'd be useless as a civilian born. It's why people saw Naruto's loud personality and clumsy nature and assumed he'd never get anywhere. There's a reason why people look at Sasuke, rare as it is, and assume that he's a genius and never works hard for his skills.)_

He takes up a position opposite Temari, Takuma a lean shape at his side. For the most part, Sasuke's trained to improve his abilities with ninjutsu since his taijutsu is fairly solid at the moment and his teamwork with Takuma only requires more practise before they work on anything new.

"Start!"

For a moment, all Sasuke is aware of is his breathing, loud and harsh; the press of his feet against the ground; the blood pulsing in his body; the silence that surrounds him.

Then he moves, the word echoes in his ears like the ringing sound of a siren, and shooting forward he attempts to engage Temari in taijutsu. However, a gust of wind from Temari's fan has him flipping backwards.

Planting his feet in the dirt, he manages not to be pushed backwards by the wind. It quickly ends, but it's told him enough – he knows that Temari can use wind release to some degree, and so it will be dangerous getting close. The good news is that Temari is only a genin, and so can't have mastered her wind release or she'd have a chūnin promotion on that ability alone. And if she hasn't mastered her wind release, then it's likely she hasn't figured out a defence against lightning chakra.

It's well known that lightning chakra is weak against wind chakra, but it's also largely ignored that wind chakra is only a good defence against lightning chakra if a person has figured out a way to block lightning chakra.

Takuma goes low, chakra powering his legs, but he's blasted away by another wind jutsu, slamming against one of the arena walls. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke flicks through a set of hand seals, _(and Takuma is picking himself up with a growl and is alright, but anger grows in Sasuke's chest anyway)_. "Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"

The lightning jolts out, missing Temari, but blasting the fan, resulting in a hole. Temari snarls at Sasuke and drops her fan onto the ground, moving into a set of hand seals instead.

Deciding it'd be better to avoid the attack, Sasuke channels chakra into his legs and jumps up. After going through five hand seals, he says, "Body Replacement Technique," and swaps with Temari's fan. However, he isn't quite fast enough and ends up with a cut on his cheek.

Regardless, he lands and darts forward, Takuma at his side once again. Together, they channel chakra into their legs, darting forward. Sasuke goes in high, snapping a kick out at Temari's legs, whilst Takuma leaps up, canines tearing deep cuts in Temari's left arm. As the Sunagakure-nin reels backward, Sasuke lashes out with a punch that catches Temari's cheek. Nonetheless, the kunoichi quickly responds, landing a heavy strike on Sasuke's shoulder that sends him staggering back a pace.

Sasuke's not alone, though, so even as he regains his balance, Takuma darts forward, snapping jaws keeping Temari at bay. With a new place of attack in mind, Sasuke steps forward, tossing a kunai to Temari's left. Another step forward, and he's meeting Temari in a surge of blows.

Takuma skirts out to the side, grabbing the kunai with a careful tilt of his head, and heading around behind Temari, who sidesteps, but Takuma is faster and Sasuke is forcing Temari to face him rather than paying attention to his ninken. It works, against all odds, and Takuma steps back up on Sasuke's right. In that second, Sasuke twists his wrist, Takuma his jaw, and the ninja wire surrounding Temari draws tight. The ninken growls, low and deep, dangerous in every way.

A pause, and Sasuke is thinking that the kunoichi won't yield, when she finally says, "Yield." Stepping backwards, Sasuke lets go of the wire as the proctor calls the match, and then calls Sakura down for her match against some Kumogakure-nin.

Sakura grins as she passes Sasuke on the stairs, flipping a senbon in her fingers. Sasuke grins back, _(and if it's a tad bloodthirsty, one only needs to remind themselves that they are ninjas)_, knowing full well the poison that Sakura utilises now. He's certain that her match will be a short one, since she didn't use poison in the preliminary round.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Naruto's there with an aggrieved expression, bandages in hand. "Idiot," Naruto says. "Didn't even think of your own injuries, huh?"

"Oh," Sasuke says, lifting his fingers to his cheek, now aware of the stinging pain there. His shoulder is also sore, but it's ignorable. He glances at Takuma, who shakes himself and barks. "Takuma's not injured aside from bruises."

"Takuma isn't the one with a bleeding cut that could do with stitches," Naruto snarks back, forcing Sasuke to sit down. "How's the match going?"

"Sakura nailed her opponent with her poisoned senbon a minute ago," Shikamaru says. "She's just waiting for it to kick in fully and keeping out of the way for the most part."

"Of course," Sasuke says as Naruto places butterfly stitches on his cheek. "Team Kakashi is going to win this."

Shikamaru rolls his eyes. "Sure," he says, _(but it's not doubt or condescension in his tone, it's intrigue in how they'll pull it off, but believing they will)_. "Oi, her opponent's gone down if you want to see." Both Naruto and Sasuke glance over, just in time to see Sakura's opponent fall backwards, and the other kunoichi hand over an antidote to a medic. They cheer loudly, Takuma barking with them. From in the arena, Sakura grins up at them.

_(Team Kakashi won't lose – ever.)_

In the middle of the arena, the proctor announces, "The second round will begin in half an hour. Match one will have Shino Aburame of Konohagakure versus Lee of Konohagakure. Match two will have Sasuke Uchiha of Konohagakure versus Gaara of Sunagakure. Match three will have Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure versus Sakura Haruno of Konohagakure. Match four will have Shikamaru Nara versus Fuyuko Kurosawa of Shimogakure who wasn't required to fight in round one."

* * *

**Toru finds those of Uzushio, descendants and otherwise, struggling to live and struggling to find a reason to continue to do so. Whilst the Konoha ANBU team starts their journey back, the Konoha chūnin exam launches the third trial. Round one concludes with six Konoha genins left and one Sunagakure one.**

* * *

_**With the chunin exams, I don't have much to say. Writing one-on-one fights was starting to get very annoying, which is why I didn't spend much time writing them. Yes, the chunin exams have changed quite a bit, as you can see. There's a variety of reasons for this, and I will answer if anyone has questions. Konoha mainly showing off their genins, whilst wasn't supposed to happen, isn't overly surprising either - since it is Konoha where the chunin exam is taking place.**_

_**Ibisu and Kyatapira are very Good teammates and trusted Toru's words, despite evidence that they shouldn't. It's a really big point in their relationship as teammates and friends. After all, they're used to following orders no matter what, and now they're siding with Toru against the Konoha government, which they don't exactly trust (it hadn't been hard for them to find the previous history of ROOT and how Sarutobi did nothing). **_

_**Below is a list of all the characters who appeared in regards to Uzushio and Hibiki (there are 36 members in total with 20 from Uzushio and 16 are descendants, but I didn't create 36 characters, so there's only the ones that I created listed below):**_

_**Hibiki Kurosawa; leader of the group; nonbinary; 57 years; they were a jonin when Uzushio fell, and they were thirty at the time; they had to evacuate since they were too injured to fight; they have a disease and have been told that they will die in the next few months without further medical help**_

_**Satomi Asano; second in command of the group; demiwoman; 47 years old; ANBU of Uzushio when the village fell and was known as Koara (Koala)**_

_**Etsuko Asano; woman; 23 years old; best skill is infiltration**_

_**Shota Sasaki; student of Michi Sasaki; genin when Uzushio fell; 37 years; male; best medic of the group**_

_**Michi Sasaki; jonin of Uzushio; had a genin team when the village fell; agender; greying hair; he's a good fighter despite being 50 years old now; his students are Shota Sasaki, Kotone, and Aina**_

_**Reina Uzumaki; female; has red-hair; 28 years old - was one when Uzushio fell**_

_**Isamu Mizushima; male; 20 years**_

_**Minoru Takahashi; genderfluid; 19 years**_

_**Aoi Abe; bigender; 23 years**_

_**Rikuto Hagoromo; male; was 3 when Uzushio fell and is now 30 years; he's the child of Midori Abe (mother) and Asuka Hagoromo (father); Asuka left the village with Rikuto whilst his mother stayed for its fall**_

_**Kotone Kurosawa; female; student of Michi; 37 years old**_

_**Aina Akimizu; female; student of Michi; 37 years**_

_**Shun Abe; neutrois; 29 years; was 2 when Uzushio fell**_


	16. Dissimulation

The second round begins without any fanfare. The first match of the second round ends rather quickly, with Shino forfeiting after attempting a genjutsu on Lee. "Why'd you yield?" Naruto asks loudly when Shino returns to the stands.

"Lee-san showed himself capable of manipulating his chakra internally and thus capable of breaking any genjutsus placed upon him," Shino explains. "This, combined with his taijutsu expertise, meant that I was in a position that would end in my loss. Currently, my best skills are my genjutsus and my ability to use kikaichū. As Lee-san is able to ignore my genjutsus, it renders the skill ineffective and inefficient. And since Lee-san doesn't rely on his chakra, my kikaichū would be fairly useless in a fight. Thus, I yielded early on."

Shino glances next to him, at the older genin. "Lee-san is a formidable opponent," he concludes. "I would be amiable to sparring in the future to overcome the various flaws in my fighting style that have been pointed out due to these exams."

"I would love to help one of Konoha's youthful genins such as yourself!" Lee agrees with a grin. "However, I think for now we should return our attention to the match about to occur!"

Despite Lee's seemingly positive tone, there are signs of a frown and worry on his face. His expression is echoed by Naruto and Sakura's own expressions. Beside them, Shikamaru crosses his arms and scowls down at the arena. "Will he be fine?" The Nara asks, directing his question at Naruto and Sakura, "Against _him_?"

"He knows to forfeit if it comes to it," Sakura says, even as her hands tighten into fists.

"But," Naruto continues, "we've also worked on plans against everyone in the finals. He should be able to face the Suna-nin, but he'll backdown. This isn't worth his life or his career." Realising how harsh his words are, Naruto shoots an apologetic look at Lee, who just frowns.

"I have faith in Tenten's ability to recover," Lee replies decisively. "Konoha's medics are a level above all others, and I'm sure Tsunade-sama will return and give her aid to Konoha… Or I will find her along with Neji and bring her back."

Shikamaru raises his gaze, turning his eyes not to Lee but to the feathers dropping from the sky, floating down to gently rest on the ground. They build up, cushioning the ground, reminding him how tired he is, how much he wants to rest…

"Kai!" He says, snapping his chakra out of the hold the genjustu has over him. His chakra crests, flares, and the feathers disappear as his vision flashes white, before returning to what is. Shikamaru glances around, but the other Konoha genins are also removing themselves from the genjutsus.

A glimpse of the arena tells him that the redhead from Suna is fleeing, Sasuke following with a determined expression on his face, _(their village is in danger and so they will defend it)_. "Naruto, Sakura, go after Sasuke. Get Gaara out of the village but don't get yourselves killed," Shikamaru orders. The two nod and disappear in a blur of colour and speed. Team Kakashi are the ones made for combat, and everyone else will be busy – Shikamaru knows this, _(and he knows the danger he's ending them all into as well)_. "Shino, Kiba, grab Hinata and go out and guard civilians to get to the shelters." The pair nod and head towards where they had last seen their teammate. "Lee-san, Neji-san, you are the fastest ones here and some of the strongest. Work together to round up the attackers and defeat them, head out of the arena to where there aren't as many ninjas around. Perhaps the Academy – it's an important location in the village."

"What about you?" Neji asks with narrowed eyes.

A pair of familiar chakras appear within Shikamaru's range, and he grins as Ino and Chōji take up positions on either side of him. "We're going to keep the enemies down and help guard the civilians," he replies. "Our enemies are Sungakure and Otogakure. Go!"

* * *

When the alarm goes off, Tsuyoshi is in the main police station. He pauses, tilting his head to listen to it. It's quiet, a sound that goes on and on, repeating, but it's outside the station – not inside. Since he's in the main room, it's simple for Tsuyoshi to press the button that sends a summon for all police currently working. A few minutes has everyone gathered in the room, pressed together with their canines, and glancing about nervously.

_(Konoha's under attack.)_

Straightening himself, Tsuyoshi surveys the group. "Konoha is under attack by two distinct ninja forces," he begins. "We are needed out there, rather than in here. The prison can hold itself and even if all the prisoners are released, they will do less damage than those outside that we could prevent. Konoha needs us, and so we will answer."

"There are ninjas for that!" Someone calls from amongst the crowd.

"Konoha is our village too," Tsuyoshi says back with a scowl, "and I, for one, don't want to see it overrun. Members with a year experience or less, gather in groups of three or four. Search and rescue, only attack if you have to. Always defend. Members with more experience, get into pairs. Same thing as the others. Make sure you keep to larger streets – it's going to be havoc out there, but our village needs us!"

_(And so the police go out.)_

* * *

_(Someone once told someone else that they matter and-) _

_(Maybe it starts with a boy; maybe there was once a boy and-) _

_(Or maybe there's no beginning except what is, undeniably, their beginning.)_

Tomoe is with Hikaru and Rena and Kira when the alarm goes off, echoing hauntingly in their alleyway. Her breath catches in her throat, because this is the first time she can remember hearing such a thing.

_(In one world, they are nothing but those stepped on, ignored and scorned. But this is not that world, they are here because they are and because they have fought and because they want to live and succeed.)_

Rena curses, skittering closer to Kira who presses into Hikaru's side. Narrowing her eyes, Tomoe looks at their surroundings. They're safe, for now, but how much longer will they be safe?

_(They've never truly been safe.)_

"The others," she decides, the words pulled from her without prior thought, _(and she doesn't think of herself and those she cares for first now, but she thinks of all of them – everyone on the streets, all of them who deserve better than what they got)_. "We need-"

"To keep them safe," Kira says, straightening slightly. "We've got plans in place. We can spread the message easily enough, everyone will send someone to gather at the meeting grounds."

"Keep our home safe," Rena says. The words sound like a promise, and it's an oath that they can't give, can't assure anyone that the words will be a solemn swear – but it is, it feels like the words are a prediction, the future letting them know that they'll come out of this – maybe not whole, but that they'll come out of this, _(and what more could they ask for?)_.

"Pull ninjas into the alleyways, one-by-one," Hikaru says, eyes gazing steadily at Tomoe, "and bring them into traps, into groups of gangs who will do what they must."

Tomoe nods. "Yes," she agrees, _(the word is a strong taste in her mouth, something sharp pressed against her tongue, a shadow in her eye)_. "This is the place we've been calling home. Let's protect it."

_(Don't you know? They matter now.)_

* * *

Yasu Yamamoto, husband of Kohaku Yamamoto, has learnt not to panic in dire situations, especially since his wife is a policewoman and often drags him to self-defence lessons. He appreciated the thought and definitely remembers the lessons, but the actions had never been the teaching that stuck in his mind. No, what he remembers learning the most was the importance of not panicking when something goes wrong.

Thus, when Konoha's alarms go off, signalling an attack, Yasu doesn't panic so much as he does think. He's in Shūsanki Square, surrounding by residents of Konoha and travelling merchants. No one is screaming or running, but the tension is high and everyone looks a second away from stampeding. So, Yasu raises a hand to his mouth and whistles loudly, easily garnering everyone's attention.

The closest safe point in Konoha is almost a kilometre through various alleyways. The Uchiha Clan Compound is fairly out of the way, which may have been good for when the residents had been ninjas, but they're not ninjas now – they're civilians, _(and not with the best backstories and the best skills, and maybe some of them had been thieves once upon a time, but they are more now)_. A black and white form bounces up next to him, a red collar on her neck. Everyone's looking at him, and taking a deep breath, he says, "Konoha's nearest safe point is some distance away. I'd like to have everyone gather themselves and head towards the back of the compound. If a group of ten or so could please invite anyone outside of the compound in… Volunteers?"

A group of twelve break away from everyone else, heading out of the compound. Nodding, and feeling relieved, Yasu turns to the rest. "Everyone else, follow me. If you need to go grab people from inside the compound do so and raise the alarm as best you can. Head towards the back of the compound."

Beside him, Aki barks, and another dog breaks out of the crowd, coming to a halt next to him and also barks. Yasu's always believed that the dogs that lived in the compound, both those belonging to the police and those belonging to Toru Uchiha, had an intelligence greater than a normal dog. Currently, the two dogs are proving his point – they seem to know what's going on.

"Aki and Teisatu will help us," he says, and he fully believes it too.

_(Toru saved all of them, essentially. Is it any stretch to think that his highly intelligent dogs will do the same?)_

Aki barks loudly and starts heading towards the back of the compound.

_(Their home is in danger but they are not fighters. They simply wish to survive. The Uchiha Clan built an escape route – that only a few know about – for if Konoha turned on them, and now those who are not part of the Uchiha Clan use it to ensure they survive an attack on Konoha.)_

_(Yasu may not know of the escape route, but he trusts in Toru, and when his wife and him decided to rent a house in the compound, they had been told that if they ever needed to get out safely, the back of the compound is the place to go.)_

* * *

Haruto is by the entrance of the other-home with Takumi-pup when something changes. The most obvious cause is the high-pitched noise of an alarm of some kind. It rings, loudly, constantly, and seems incapable of stopping. What really grabs his attention, though, is the change of the human scents around him – from content, peaceful, to panicked and fearful.

With a snap at Takumi-pup, who isn't a pup any longer, but still under Haruto's position, he turns away from the other-home. Aki and Teisatu are there, and they can take care of the humans in there.

However, there are others from his pack out there. Pack leader can take care of himself, but the little-not-quite-pups-but-not-grown are out there, and they may not be able to take care of themselves. Takuma-pup can watch out for the close-to-pack-leader-but-not-close, yet that leaves pack-to-pack-leader-pup alone.

This is also their territory, and those around may not be pack, but they respect their territory, at the very least.

Takumi-pup snarls, and Haruto observes the changes happening around him. There are panicked-not-calm-but-not-freezing humans leaving the other-home but staying close to the entryway. He will have to trust that they know what they are doing – he's sure Aki and Teisatu can take care of it.

A human from their territory cowers as someone else approaches – threatening. Haruto growls and charges forward, Takumi-pup keeping up with him. Not-their-human-but-their-human shrinks, not seeing them approaching from behind. Haruto leaps, paws slamming onto the shoulders and sinks his teeth into the neck-death-point. Blood fills his mouth and he tears the enemy's throat out. Landing, he glances at the in-territory-human, who appears tense but stands up and – in a scrambling run – heads towards the other-home.

Takumi-pup races forward, and Haruto lurches after her. Takumi-pup takes the lead and takes down the next enemy out-of-territory-human with a killing blow to the throat.

Together, the pair of canines race onwards, towards Konoha proper, taking down anyone in their way who dares encroach on their territory.

_(Consider these two and remember that they aren't dogs alone, but wolf blood runs thick through their veins. Remember that they are wild, wild creatures and are bound by their pack, alone, by the bonds they decide and make.) _

_(Remember that despite Takumi's blind eyes, she can see just as well as anyone else. Chakra gives her strength and speed beyond those of a normal canine – wolf or dog. It gives her a sense that allows her to see, and she has spent so much of her life training so that she will not run into anything and to ensure that she is dangerous.)_

_(Remember that despite Haruto's greying muzzle, age has not yet sunk its canines into his muscles, and so he runs, strong with every move, fast with every step. He is dangerous because he chooses to be, because he has chosen to protect those of his pack and those in his territory. He is dangerous because he is wolf-blooded and chooses to be.)_

* * *

A bark catches their attention, and Lee turns to face the potential threat, Neji turning with him to watch his back. They're uninjured so far, only faced a few opponents who they've doubled up against to defeat. Narrowing his eyes, Lee watches as a person – civilian, from their appearance – carefully scrambles up a pile of rubble. A whistle, and the civilian calls someone else to them. Between the two of them, they shift a large piece of rubble, revealing a woman covered in dust crouching beneath a table. One of the civilians helps her up gently.

"Neji," Lee says warningly, as he shoots forward to face the approaching enemy-nin he had spotted. Neji keeps up, a step behind. However, Lee knows they're just a bit too slow, and that the enemy-nin is going to reach the group of civilians faster than them.

However, the two dogs at the base of the rubble leap at the enemy-nin instead, snarling and growling deep in their chests. The pair delay the enemy-nin long enough for Lee to lash out with a high kick, Neji slamming a palm into their opponent's chest.

A blur of movement and in three seconds, the enemy-nin is a corpse, like the others the two genins have faced so far.

"Thanks," one of the civilians says as they help the woman down from the remains of the house. "We've got it from here."

Recognising the police uniform, Lee and Neji both nod, and turn away. There's work to be done and a village to protect.

* * *

Hikaru Matsuko figures, when the alarms go off, that he's probably in one of the safest locations if Konoha is being attacked for some reason or another. After all, it's unlikely that anyone's going to enter the prison and get through all the security. Moreover, they'd have to deal with all the prisoners.

Although, that wouldn't be terribly hard. Hikaru's certain that there's no one really despicable around – well, he thinks there's one or two, but he's fairly certain they got moved into one of Konoha's ninja-run prisons. The Uchiha Police Force only imprisoned people who didn't take part – as an accessory or otherwise – in violent crimes. They deal with those people, but they get jailed somewhere else.

All in all, the prison is a safe place to be and it might not be the nicest place, but it's somewhat better than the one-room apartment he'd been holed up in before he decided to break into a rich person's place to steal stuff, _(and it hadn't been the best decision, and he knows much better now, but he also knows he has various resources he can access so he doesn't have to result to stealing; he's been told this at length by various police force members and other prisoners)_.

Of course, just as Hikaru is musing over how lucky he is, there's a sudden crash sending him jumping onto his feet. A scream echoes in the hallway, and Hikaru is aware that he's not going to get his afternoon nap today.

That's alright though, there seems to be more important things going on.

Leaving his shared cell behind, Hikaru jogs down the hallway towards the sound of the noises, blending in with a crowd of four others – Noriko, Takara, Manami, and Hideyoshi.

They reach one of the main meal rooms, where one of the outside walls has been completely demolished, along with part of the room. "Anyone hurt?" Hikaru yells out to Mari who's standing relatively close by.

The woman shakes her head and shoves her way closer to Hikaru. "No one was close by, so we're all fine. But shit's going down out there! This place is structurally unsound and there's no knowing what's going on! This place might come down on our fucking heads!"

Hikaru nods, "Yeah, that's possible," he says thoughtfully, taking in the cracks that are creeping along the walls and roof. "The police have gone out to help, I'm fairly certain. Don't think they'll care if we leave."

"They better fucking not, since we're being put in danger here!" Mari replies with a scowl. Despite her words, there's tension creasing her forehead.

Biting his lip, Hikaru turns to face the others, and none of them are leaving, they're just gathering around the massive hole and seem to be considering it. Or maybe they're just wondering what to do, because it's havoc out there.

They're prisoners and civilians, criminals all of them. Majority of them have been working with the police as part of the prison program for weeks and months now, and Hikaru's fairly certain they could probably get everyone to the safe points as a group, even as civilians.

But, just because they could make it doesn't mean everyone can make it.

"Yeah, alright," he says, and he knows there had never been any decision to make. He's known what should be done, he just has to do it – courage be damned. "Mari, can you grab everyone's attention?" He asks, and he hates this – hates talking to a large crowd, hates being the centre of attention, but there's not really any choice and everyone's unsure and uncertain, and he might as well say something.

It really seems like his work on improving his confidence have helped. Doesn't it?

"Oi!" Mari shouts loudly, basically screaming to be heard. "Listen up, fuckers! Hikaru has some important shit to say! So shut the fuck up!"

Faltering, Hikaru's questions himself again, but-

He straightens, lifts his head. "It's a mess out there," he starts, "and yeah, I know that's obvious, but, yeah." The others are listening to him, protests falling silent. "Look, we can get to the safe points working together. But not everyone can manage that out there. We know that Konoha doesn't really look after everyone in its walls, and a fair bunch have been trying their best in recent years, but there's not enough of them out there. We know how shit life can be, and we know how to look out for ourselves. I bet you though that someone's forgotten to check for all the kids, that the orphans and everyone stuck in shitty apartments that might have fallen down a week ago that no one cares about – I bet you people aren't checking for them. The police, yeah, they're probably off doing search and rescue, but they can't be everywhere and we… We got the dogs-in-training, yeah? We could grab them and help out a bit."

He waves his hands. "We don't all have to! But… some of us could. If you're heading to the safe point, get into groups and take the small alleyways and shadows. The ninjas will be above us, as always, so you gotta keep hidden from there."

"I'm with you, Hikaru," Mari says the moment he finishes speaking. "Better to fuck with those attacking us than deal with the shit we get from the civvies at the safe points. Bet you it'll be a bunch of aristocratic bitches."

No one move and Hikaru takes in a breath, nods his head, and says, "Let's go get our dogs then."

* * *

Eruku is in the point position, but it's Kyatapirā who warns that something isn't right. Pausing in concern, Jakkaru waits as Ibisu climbs to the top of one of the nearby trees that would provide a view of Konoha – or, at the very least, its walls. They're not too far away from Konoha, a couple of klicks at most.

Tilting his head, Jakkaru notes that the forest is strangely silent.

_(Something is wrong.)_

Ibisu doesn't so much as climb down, as he does drop down, _(they don't ask if he's alright because they are ANBU members right now and they know his capabilities)_. "Konoha's being attacked," he says, rushing through his words.

"Jakkaru point," Eruku snaps, and there's no hesitation now as Jakkaru flies forward, _(you give 100% to your mission, but you always keep 10% in reserve, always)_. Heart catching in his throat, Jakkaru speeds through the forest, only just letting his teammates keep up, even as he wishes to run faster and faster, because there are his people in danger.

_(Konoha isn't his, not like Uzushio is will be was; but his people are there, those he loves and calls his friends and family, and they are in danger and he can do nothing but run and run and hope for the best)_.

A half an hour journey is cut down to ten minutes, and ANBU Team 42-56 swarm up Konoha's walls hidden by the shadows of the trees. It's chaos, but they'd already seen that, heard the noise. The snakes, after all, are hard to miss and the noise of both battle and destruction could be heard hundreds of metres away.

The chūnin exam is on, the third round to be precise, and so Jakkaru heads that direction, his teammates following him. Konoha is a mess, there are civilians out on the streets moving in groups, a few ninjas littered around escorting them to safe points. Speeding past, Jakkaru's fairly certain one kunai he throws sinks into the back of someone who'd been about to attack a group of three people with dogs – two police members and one distinctly not. Regardless, it doesn't matter, _(he won't let another village fall like his did)_.

Weapons in hand, the four ANBU sped through their village as all around them ninjas fought to survive and to kill their enemies. As a group, they take down anyone in their way or nearby.

They reach the stadium quickly, landing on the roof amongst three other ANBU – the Hokage's guards. Jakkaru surveys the area. The Hokage is fighting against three others, trapped in a purple barrier, but not one made via a seal.

"Report?" Eruku says, stalking forward from her position at the back.

"Otogakure and Sunagakure attacked," one ANBU immediately says. "Orochimaru was pretending to be the Kazekage and attacked Sandaime-sama. He set up a 360-degree barrier. Anyone who tries to get through it ends up on fire that can't be extinguished and the barrier sucks in jutsus and chakra."

Jakkaru narrows his eyes, because the barrier is clearly reliant on chakra to work and so the fire aspect is part of that. It's a jutsu that operates on the chakra, and on the other side of the barrier he can see, vaguely, people holding up the barrier. Based on that, he's willing to assume that the barrier subsists on chakra given to it willingly or through a jutsu rather than drawing on ambient chakra – which is good, gives Jakkaru more room to manoeuvre.

_(He doesn't have much time, but there's never enough time in these scenarios.)_

* * *

Everything is sharp with focus, the very edge of leaves sharply contrasting against neighbouring leaves. Sasuke leaps, lands, and leaps again, relaxing into a pattern that he has done so many times before. Beside him, Takuma barks in warning.

Sasuke pauses, his teammates coming to a stop with him, _(and he had waited for them to come and they had come, becaue of course they had)_. "We've got enemy opponents approaching," he says grimly. Takuma paws the ground nine times.

"Nine of them," Naruto concludes correctly. "Alright, what's the plan?"

Sakura and Sasuke exchange grim expressions. They've had to fight their way here, kunais dyed red with blood, _(they would always fight for their village, for each other)_. "Hey Naruto, I think this is the best time for your trapping skills to come out," Sakura says, a half-hearted grin on her face.

"And use your clones," Sasuke adds. "Kakashi-sensei said not to when fighting, but this isn't a spar. We'll need superior numbers, especially if the three of us continue on. Do you reckon you can do that?"

Naruto inhales and then nods his head, putting his hands together for the Shadow Clone Technique, _(he might not enjoy killing, but for his village and his friends and his family, he'll do what he has to; they deserve it)._ Twenty clones surround them, instantly fading into the background and starting to set up traps.

"They'll alert me if anyone gets past," Naruto says.

Sasuke nods, "Sakura and I will be the ones to fight them," he says. "Naruto, you've easily got the most amount of chakra and some crazy healing rate, and you'll need that against _him_."

"Let's move out," Sakura orders, and the group take off once again. "Does he have teammates?"

"I fought one of them earlier in the arena," Sasuke says as they continue moving. "The other was the one who yielded to Shino."

"Team Asuma said he was a puppet user," Naruto adds, _(because they'd shared information since a win for any of them is a win for Konoha)_. "We're fairly certain he doesn't use any poisons aside from Suna's main ones."

"Eh, Genma-sensei taught me a few," Sakura says, "because he figured it'd be something along those lines." Takuma growls lowly and the genins become silent, moving carefully and aware of the opponent ahead of them.

In front of them, a clearing holds the two ninjas that make up Gaara's teammates. With a gesture, Sasuke tells his teammates to stay hidden and jumps down with Takuma, trusting Naruto and Sasuke to have his back. "If you surrender, I assure you no harm will befall you."

The pair exchange a glance. "We can't do that," Temari says. "We can't let you get to Gaara. He's- You'll die! No one's managed to land a blow on him before."

"You've gone against Konoha," Sasuke replies.

The male of the pair takes his puppet off of his back. "Go, Temari," he says. "I'll hold him off!"

Takuma barks, and Sasuke flips through hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Tecehnique!" Rather than simply letting the fire gather in the back of his throat, Sasuke pulls his breath from his lungs and fuses it with his chakra, not containing it but pressurising it to make it larger and stronger. He spits it out, watching as he blazes forward, as big as he is and fuelled with his chakra, slamming into the puppet and exploding upon making contact.

"You little brat!" The shinobi shouts, charging forward, but Sasuke isn't alone, _(he's never really alone)_. And he watches as Sakura and Naruto swing out of the trees, Sakura slamming feet first into the male of the pair and instantly pinning him down, whilst Naruto twists and slides behind Temari, quickly pinning her in a hold with loops of chakra wire.

The trio knock out the pair and tie them up. "The Oto-nins aren't a problem," Naruto reports, and then they're moving once again. Ahead of them, Gaara waits, _(and so they go on, without backup and without a plan and without knowing the true danger ahead of them)_.

They enter a clearing, where the redhead waits. "You are like me," Gaara says, directing his words at Naruto. "Hated, feared, _despised_, and yet you come here – with others. As if you trust them to watch your back."

"What's he talking about?" Sakura asks, not taking her eyes off of Gaara, but shifting closer to Naruto.

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke responds, narrowing spinning red eyes. "He's dangerous."

"You can't stop me!" Gaara shouts, stopping Naruto from responding to his teammates. "Konoha will be nothing but a crater by the time I'm through. And people will be forced to accept my presence and acknowledge my existence!"

"You'll only be hated more," Naruto replies, but the words are useless, torn away on the wind.

Sand lifts Gaara into the sky. "You cannot stop me!" He shouts. "They'll notice me now!"

Naruto stands with his teammates, with Sasuke and his red eyes, with Sakura and her poison, with Takuma and his snarls, with his own chakra and knowledge. He doesn't know Gaara, doesn't know his story. He knows Gaara has been placing him on edge, and he's starting to understand why, starting to figure out the connection that links them.

"This- This isn't what you want to do," Naruto says, hoping that it'll stop Gaara from whatever his plans are.

The redhead looks down at them, eyes surrounded by black, red scar clear on his forehead. "I carved the kanji for love onto my forehead, because only I can love a monster such as myself. You know not of what I want, Naruto Uzumaki. W**e** wa**N**t **o**u**R** r**E**veN**ge fO**r wr**On**g**s** **comm**itte**d a**n**D** s**o** W**e** p**Rov**e o**uR** w**oRTH! LITTLE WORMS, YOU KNOW NOT. WE WILL DESTROY AND BATH THE WORLD IN BLOOD. AS IT SHOULD BE FOR IT HAS BEEN ****DESECRATED ****BY YOUR KIND!**"

The sand around Gaara grows, encasing the redhead, lifting him higher and higher. "The hell?" Sakura asks, shifting her stance. "That looks like the Ichibi! One-tailed beast."

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke answers. "Looks like the redhead fell asleep, gave control over? Whatever. We just need to stop him. Naruto, you're the chakra powerhouse here, what do you think?"

Naruto stutters, staring up at the giant beast made of chakra and sand, before shaking himself. "Water should cause problems with sand," he says quickly. "Lightning too. Earth will be useless and probably fire as well. I don't know about wind. Sakura, we're going to need you as our healer and to perform distractions. We got to wake him up! It should fix it!"

Sasuke nods, bends his knees, and says, "Let's go!"

* * *

**The second round of the third trial of the chūnin exam begins, and quickly goes very wrong. Across Konoha, as enemies attack the village and those inside of it, Konoha residents – and others – lift their heads and shout their own outrage to the sky. They will not go down without a fight, and whether they die or not, they will continue doing what they think is best for Konoha in the moment. Tomoe calls the street kids to her, talks about saving themselves, talks about ruining the people attacking their home. The police know that they aren't the fighters here, but they know search and rescue is necessary. The civilian prisoners find themselves helping alongside the police, knowing that the time to help is now. The residents and merchants of the Uchiha Clan Compound come together in fear and in hope that they will survive. Meanwhile, the Konoha ninjas fight with everything they have and everything they are. They have everything to lose, after all.**

* * *

_**And so, we hit the area of canon where everything starts getting rocky because Toru exists and now shit will really start changing. I wasn't particularly happy with all the short scenes once Konoha is attacked, but also they wanted to fit themselves in. I feel like they're not long enough, but whatever. I was going to include some of the other genins, but I wasn't quite sure how to write it all very quickly. Regardless, the scenes were nice, especially since I wanted to explore the fact that there are more than just ninjas in the village.**_

_**Gaara... Well, it'll be interesting to see where it all goes, especially after a conversation I just had with PearlBear in the comments of Ocean's Own Stories. A lot of the stuff with Gaara has changed, and we'll be seeing the result of those changes and, perhaps, the reason why. I haven't developed much of a plan for Gaara's fight aside for how it will end.**_

_**And everything else? I guess you're going to be waiting for the next chapter. To be honest, I thought I'd have a lot to say for this chapter, but I really don't. We are getting closer to the end of this book though. I'm expecting probably two actual chapters left, maybe? After that, I'll have the other chapter things I was planning, and I don't quite know the layout for that yet. Hope you guys enjoyed! Keep being awesome!**_


	17. Volant

** Shy911 Thank you! I really enjoyed writing the surrounding characters and showing their thoughts on what was happening and their action plans. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

* * *

Breathe in. Breathe out.

_(Sometimes winning doesn't look like what one imagines winning looks like; it's not always defeating one's opponent and destroying one's enemy.)_

_(Sometimes winning is a village apparently fallen and a people scattered – but surviving, that's the important part here. They, for the most part, survived, and so they won.) _

"A barrier formed by chakra," Jakkaru mutters, _(and he sees two outcomes – he blows everything up or the barrier comes down)_. "Taichō, I may blow the barrier up or I may bring it down," he says, grabbing a chakra pill out of his weapons pouch. He knows he'll do it, even if Eruku tells him not to. The Sandaime will die otherwise, he's certain of this – the Hokage needs help.

"Do it," Eruku decides, and Jakkaru nods.

Popping the chakra pill in his mouth, he prepares for the chakra drain he's about to go through. The plan is already settled in his head, and there's no other path he can see that he could take. So there is this – hope, desperate hope, and strength, _(the weight of a ruined village that lives rests on his shoulders, and that – too – is strength)_, and Jakkaru, _(Toru),_ is who he is and nothing else.

"Water Release: Water Armour," he says, placing his hands in the dog hand seal. Concentrating, he forces the water to cover only his right hand. It pools over his fingers, a beautiful blue, _(that reminds him of the ocean)_. In his mind, he holds the image of the Thirteen Opposing Seal in his mind, _(his base seal, the one that he created)_. His hand tingles as chakra floods it, and he moves quickly, touching it against the barrier. "Fūin!"

The seal brands itself against the barrier, white lines against dark purple, and Toru swallows the chakra pill as he jerks his hand back off the barrier. He quickly grabs another chakra pill and swallows it, aware that his chakra levels have dropped rapidly in the few seconds he had his hand on the barrier. Thankfully, the water over his hand had kept him from being burnt.

His chakra coils feel like they're burning, but he ignores the feeling and glances at the barrier instead. He'd already figured out that the barrier is dependent on chakra supplied through jutsus or humans – which means it wouldn't work well with natural chakra.

And it doesn't.

Before the ANBU members, the purple barrier starts faltering, fracturing, and breaking down. One of the four ninjas within the barrier cries out, jerking backwards – and stops holding the jutsu up. The corner collapses, and so does the rest of the barrier.

"Go!" Eruku calls, and Jakkaru launches himself forward, teammates at his side. Even moving, he finds himself opening the seal that enables him to regain previously stored chakra.

Without the lens of the purple barrier, it's easy to see that the Sandaime is fighting against three opponents – Orochimaru, and what appears to be the Shodaime and Nidaime. Even though he's not sure of what he's seeing, Jakkaru doesn't hesitate.

_(Uzukage; ANBU; ninja; shinobi; person.)_

_(Human.)_

_(Lives matter, and so without hesitation, he makes a decision and then-) _

_(And then he moves.)_

Jakkaru seems to fly across the ground, moving with the sheer speed one cultivates when they know that they're greatly disadvantaged against others; moving without chakra because sometimes one's more in control of themselves without it; moving like there's someone in danger and he can do something about it.

He's Jakkaru and everything the name implies and more.

A water dragon comes towards the Sandaime's back, and Jakkaru lifts his hand and channels chakra into the seal that rests on the back of it. The Adsorption Seal flares with chakra and the moment the dragon's teeth grazes the back of his hand, the chakra is sucked out of it and released into the atmosphere. Rather than being greatly injured by the technique, Jakkaru is simply soaked in water instead.

Without breaking his movement, Jakkaru twists, turning himself to face the Nidaime, flicking through hand seals already. "Water Release: Water Fang Bullet!" The water rises from around him, pulling out of his clothes even, and drives toward his opponent.

In response, the Nidaime throws a kunai and vanishes in a flare of chakra and light. Cursing himself for forgetting one of the Nidaime's major techniques, Jakkaru jerks backward as the kunai cuts across his face. Knowing that there's nothing to do to beat the Nidaime in speed, _(aware that there's nothing he can do except hope he doesn't die),_ he whips through three hand seals. "Water Release: Tearing Torrent," he calls, just as the Nidaime appears before him. With a spiral of water in one hand, Jakkaru knocks the Nidaime's hand aside and slams his own into the Nidaime's stomach.

As a result, the Nidaime hunches over; an instinctive response, Jakkaru notes the way that the Nidaime doesn't respond and the seal attached to the Nidaime on the back of their neck at the base of the brain.

Partial control, Jakkaru figures, and then he's moving away because he has no wish to die, no matter how many battles he launches himself into.

Spotting Ibisu, he slams into Ibisu, knocking his teammate away from danger, and sending off a fireball that swallows the Shodaime's wooden jutsu and burns it. Then, he flips out of the way, vaguely noting how his chakra system feels like it's burning as his chakra floods his pathways so he can remain alive.

A moment later, Kyatapirā steps in front of him and parries a series of attacks, and forces the Nidaime to move away from Jakkaru. Taking a breath, he turns to where his teammates are harrying the Shodaime.

_(He is more than what they think.)_

The Nidaime flips through a set of hand seals, sending a collection of water bullets towards Kyatapirā and Jakkaru. The pair move out of the way easily enough, and Jakkaru starts going through his own set of hand seals, _(the Nidaime may have been a master of water ninjutsu, a genius in multiple fields, but the Nidaime has been dead for some time, and Uzushio has flourished in their manipulation of water, not to the same level that the Nidaime managed, but they did create new jutsus and never stopped trying to improve themselves further)_.

"Water Release: Torrent Bullet!"

The water jutsu drives the Nidaime backwards and Jakkaru calls a single seal to mind. "Fūin!" He shouts, watching as chakra flares outward and lines slam themselves onto the Nidaime's armour. Without wasting a second, Jakkaru's fingertips graze the Nidaime's armour, and another seal appears in black lines. "Fūin," he says again, watching as the seal causes the Nidaime to be unable to move. The Gravity Seal in conjunction with the Chakra Draining Seal are powerful, even against a fūinjutsu master.

_(And Jakkaru is aware that the Nidaime could escape, could still use taijutsu, but partial control – that has to mean something, and Jakkaru has to trust that the Nidaime doesn't truly want to fight against Konoha.)_

Trusting that the Nidaime will stay down, Jakkaru glances around at the fighting ground. The Sandaime is fighting with one other ANBU against Orochimaru, whilst Jakkaru's teammates are doing their best to gang up on the Shodaime.

_(He does his best to ignore the few corpses with animal masks.) _

He forces himself towards the Shodaime as Eruku backs away with a shout of pain. Alongside Kyatapirā and Ibisu, he twirls and twists around wood that appears living more than anything else. Slipping around wood that tries to entangle him and trap him, he crouches, letting Ibisu leap off of his back, blade leading, and attempt to kill the Shodaime, _(who doesn't die and won't die)_.

As Jakkaru jumps into the air, avoiding a root that does its best to grasp his ankle, he considers the best way to defeat the Shodaime. The Nidaime isn't dead, _(and he's noticed their regeneration abilities appear to have no limits), _but rather restrained in such a manner that attempting to attack would be a difficult activity. But it means that defeating the reincarnated, _(and isn't it odd, for him to be fighting someone called back from the dead like he has been)_, relies on restraining the Shodaime more than anything else.

Speeding through the hand seals for his own jutsu, Jakkaru calls, "Combination Attack: Fire Hurricane!" Before pushing himself through other sets of hand seals to follow the ninjutsu. "Blade of Wind; Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique; Exploding Flame Shot!"

The combination of techniques give the Shodaime pause as he shields himself with his wood. It gives Jakkaru enough time to reconvene with Ibisu and Kyatapirā. :Follow; Prepare: he orders as he leaps forward, hoping that this won't end badly.

Teammates behind him, the jackal-masked ANBU stretches his hands out, and the moment both come into contact with the Shodaime. Holding two seals in his mind, he shouts, "Fūin!" Once again, seals bloom beneath his fingers and he moves out of the way. The Chakra Draining Seal and Paralytic Seal take hold, stopping the Shodaime in his tracks. Ibisu and Kyatapirā quickly work together with chakra wire to ensure that the Shodaime remains restrained.

Jakkaru pants, glancing around. Putting two seals down at once just through chakra and intent is difficult, and something he has never done before. It's a skill he never had in his past life, when he lived within Uzushio. It's not something he's ever heard of being done. He can do it, though. It's another skill to add to his repertoire and makes him more dangerous. Maybe this is who he could have been.

_(Who he would have been – but his time was stolen from him.) _

:Go: he signals to his teammates, focussing on the fight between Orochimaru, and the remaining fighting-fit ANBU and the Sandaime. However, as Ibisu and Kyatapirā charge forward – gifting Jakkaru the time he needs to recover his breath, he notices the familiar hand seals that the Sandaime is going through – and he knows them, remembers them, remembers being told to never use it.

The Dead Demon Consuming Seal is a seal that causes the death of the user, and is a last resort. Created by an Uzumaki and quickly released to other fūinjutsu masters in Uzushio as both a jutsu and a seal, with a warning to only use it if there is no other choice.

And there are other choices here – the Sandaime doesn't need to die!

At this distance, there's nothing that Jakkaru can do, but he channels chakra to his foot and slams his leg down, without even speaking. A seal fuelled by hope and desperation and _no-death-live-live-live_ and _you're-needed-here_ and _stay-stay-stay_ and _Naruto-can't-lose-more_ and _people-care-so-much_ and _don't-take-the-soul_ and _not-sealing-away-a-soul _and _don't-come-death-god_ and _no-need-for-you_.

_(Don't you dare!) _

Dark lines extend and slip between the Sandaime and Orochimaru, separating the two and interrupting the Sandaime's jutsu and stopping it. Jakkaru trembles, knowing how close he came to dying by interrupting the seal and possibly giving his soul for the Sandaime's and also potentially exploding the whole area.

Regardless, he takes a step forward because he's team is in danger, _(and they won't die here, he refuses to let them die and fall; no one he cares for will die this day, not if he has anything to say about it)._

Kyatapirā kicks at Orochimaru, knocking the sannin's blow away from Ibisu, and Ibisu lashes out with a tanto strike that hits true. Ibisu and Kyatapirā both duck away, retreating briefly, and Jakkaru narrows his eyes, and watches as the poison from Ibisu's weapon turns the skin dark, and the darkness starts spreading.

"You will fall," Orochimaru hisses at the Sandaime, and before anyone can do anything, disappears in a blur of colour and smoke.

Immediately, the Sandaime is surrounded by ninjas, leaning heavily against one of the ANBU. Instead of approaching their leader, Team 42-56 gather around Eruku who has tightly wrapped a strip of cloth just above her wrist – blood dripping from the stump.

"Taichō?" Kyatapirā inquires.

"I'm out for now," Eruku answers with gritted teeth. "I'll get myself to the hospital. Konoha still needs you three. Jakkaru, you've got command."

Jakkaru nods, heart pounding, _(his team, his team, his team)_. In the east, there's a toad battling three snakes – that's where the other sannin must be. However, in the south-west, the Ichibi, _(he remembers pictures of it, legends of sealing creatures of chakra with minds of their own, remembers that there are nine such beings),_ rises. Jakkaru is a seal master, but he's also a ninja of Konoha, and he's needed everywhere at once.

But he doubts there's anyone who can seal the Ichibi, which leaves him only one path to take.

"Ready yourselves," he tells his teammates, and then he's heading south-west, chakra lending him swift feet, even as he leaps over rubble and ruined roofs. Briefly, he notes the people on the streets, some fighting and some helping others; for the most part, though, he keeps his attention on the horizon where a battle is starting to take place.

A bright creature rises above the trees, nine tails lashing, and Jakkaru's heart stops, _(Naruto-!), _and he wonders what he will find at the place of the battle. He just has to trust in the genins, _(in his family)_.

* * *

Sakura curses, spitting words in no particular order without a single thought, and flicks through a set of hand seals. "Body Replacement Technique!" She shouts, feeling herself pulling elsewhere just as sand starts curling around her ankle.

The monster of sand screams in rage, again, and Sakura steadies herself with one hand against a tree trunk. Standing on a branch, the kunoichi takes in the situation. Their plan has been working fairly well, but they're going to lose – it's clear. Sasuke is taking more breaks between his attacks, and his lightning ninjutsu is weakening, faltering, and Sakura knows he's running out of chakra. She's getting slower, distracting less, and having more close calls than earlier.

Naruto is, in all honesty, the only reason they're still alive – he's everywhere at once, throwing water ninjutsu after water ninjutsu, numerous clones backing him up and creating more havoc. But Sakura knows he can't keep that up for ever. He's not quite faltering – but Sakura knows her teammate, and even if he can keep up the water ninjutsu forever, he can't do it without their backup.

Leaping through the branches, Sakura takes up a position next to Sasuke. "We need a new plan," she murmurs to him as she wraps an explosion seal around her kunai. Sasuke grunts and sends a bolt of lightning at the newly wet patch of sand. Aiming, Sakura nails the kunai with the primed explosion seal there. The creature screams.

Naruto lands next to Sasuke. "We can't keep this up," he says, saying what they all know. He glances at them, expression tight and unreadable, _(and that worries Sakura, because Naruto is normally so open – it sometimes makes her forget that he can hide things just like the rest of them)._ "Do you trust me?"

"Of course!"

"Without a doubt."

Sakura and Sasuke exchange a small glance, _(find amusement in the small things, because sometimes that's all there is)_. Naruto nods, shoulders high with tension. "Yeah, okay," he says. "Just trust me, I'm… I'll explain later. But, I need some space, and be careful." His teammates nod and move away from him.

Closing his eyes, Naruto fiercely concentrates. His vision goes black before he's reappearing in front of the Kyūbi. The fox stares down at him.

"Have you come to break your solemn oath? Predictable," the creature snarls, tails lashing.

"Nah," Naruto says, studying the creature's appearance. "I promised, and I'll keep by my words! But… for this to work…" He opens his eyes.

In front of him, the Ichibi is snarling, held back by the number of clones Naruto has generated and nothing else. Slipping through three hand seals, Naruto scrounges up hope and determination from desperation and says, "Transformation Technique!"

Smoke swirls around him, and then he's standing with four paws and nine tails and orange-red fur. Immediately, his balance is off, distorted by the new mass, the strange body he's now in – but he's been training with Toru who has basically revolutionised the transformation jutsu, not only in relation to stealth but also as information gathering tool through transforming into an animal of some sort. So, without too much of a problem, Naruto readjusts, focusses on the Ichibi and launches himself forward.

He slams into the creature, claws grappling for purchase against sand that threatens to wrap around his muscles, _(and squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until he is nothing)_. His paws find no purchase, but the pair go rolling, trees and dirt flying around them.

Naruto snarls, and the Ichibi laughs at him, but says nothing more. So, once again, Naruto attacks. This time the Ichibi is ready and the sand grips him in turn, holding him fast. The sand rakes down his side, like claws, and Naruto howls, unable to stop himself, _(and like fire it burns, but he can't do anything else but continue to fight)_.

And then there are feet running up his spine, and Naruto rears on his hind legs to avoid the Ichibi's next attack. Chakra runs down his side; soothing, healing – Sakura's. An explosion occurs a metre away from him – a thrown explosion tag. Even now, appearing like the Kyūbi and fighting the Ichibi, Naruto's teammates join him in attempting to press the advantage, _(they are teammates and friends and everything those words encompass)_.

The Ichibi laughs, once again, and Naruto wonders what the beast thinks, whether it thinks that such things make him weaker, whether his teammates appear to be liabilities. Whatever the case, it's wrong. Naruto knows that for a fact.

Fire roars over his head and Naruto launches himself forward, chakra strengthening his muscles. A single thought, and he pushes wind chakra to his claws, managing – at last – to scrape through the sand rather than have the sand grip him. The Ichibi howls, staggering backwards, and more trees go down.

Tails flaring, he pushes his advantage, headbutting the Ichibi in the chin and lashing out with his front paws, cutting and slashing through the sand to keep it from getting a hold of him. Any moment it seems like the Ichibi will gain the advantage, there's an explosion tag used or a fire jutsu or a lightning jutsu, and in that way, a stalemate occurs and it sticks. Still, Naruto cannot hold this forever, he can feel his chakra starting to drain and feels the way his form could flicker the moment he loses concentration.

One last attack, he thinks, and he knows this will be their fall, _(and he couldn't save them, couldn't stop the Ichibi, but he did his best, they all did, they tried and they tried, and maybe they will fail – but, surely, they bought the others enough time)_. He pushes himself forward, paws landing on the Ichibi's shoulders, and his teeth graze the other's ear, before he's thrown off.

He crushes into trees. Aching and injured, he pulls himself up and stands, paws shaking beneath him. No longer can he feel his teammates on his back, so he assumes they fell when he had been thrown – he hopes they're alright. The Ichibi charges towards him, and Naruto races forward, preparing to meet him, _(preparing for one last attack before he dies)_.

There's a faint grumble, like something in his head or something in the distance. It's strange, abnormal, and he can't afford to pay it any attention. Around Naruto, his chakra flares – but it isn't quite his. It's fire warmth and biting anger and danger unhidden, but it gives him strength, gives him determination, for all that it is anger, it is also willpower. Red haze crosses his vision, sticking to the edges, framing his site, and Naruto rams the Ichibi. They grapple, and Naruto becomes aware of the burning sensation running through his muscles and wrapping around his bones. Still, he holds on, slashing and biting.

And then-

And then, his chakra falters and he loses all of it – his own chakra, the other strange not-his chakra, and he falls. Closing his eyes, Naruto waits to hit the ground, _(waits for the pain and then whatever will follow)_.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouts from a tree a few hundred metres away, she leaps forward, hitting the ruined ground, rolling, and starts running, heartbeat pounding, chakra control trembling as she forces the chakra through her muscles so she can sprint. Sasuke quickly joins her, and the pair run towards their teammate, headless of the Ichibi howling with laughter above them, uncaring of the wave of the sand that's coming down on their heads. All they see is their teammate, no longer Kyūbi shaped, but trying to stand, trying and failing.

_(They are a team, and they are Konoha ninjas, they will die for their village – together – and they will be proud.) _

_(They are children, and so they are scared, but they will go to their deaths regardless.) _

There's no time, but there's enough time for them to crowd amongst one another, gripping each other tightly, knuckles pale. The sand arches over them, blocking the sun, and then it comes down and down and down.

The darkness enshrouds them.

_(Holding each other, eyes scrunched shut, they all hope it will not hurt when their ends come for them.)_

* * *

Ninjas are generally fast; this is a known fact. There are jutsus such as the Body Flicker Technique and the Flying Thunder God Technique, and some of Konoha's past ninjas have become legendary for using such jutsus – Tobirama Senju, Minato Namikaze, Shisui Uchiha, and so on. So, yes, ninjas are fast, some more than others.

Jakkaru _(Toru)_ is known for his speed amongst the ANBU Corps, and even outside of his masked peers. He doesn't have the same speed as Tobirama or Minato or Shisui. He's not ever the fastest ninja in Konoha currently. What he has done is spent four years cultivating his speed, determined to make it one of his best attributes, knowing that it is necessary for his survival. He isn't the fastest, not by a long shot, but he's fast for a ninja. And when he puts his mind to it, he shows why he's known as fast.

Even with chakra spluttering in his system, recovering but not anywhere near his optimal levels; even with muscles trembling on the edge of exhaustion; even with his mind going haywire – Jakkaru moves like the wind, or maybe not like the wind but rather with the wind.

A hand hits the ground, and Jakkaru crouches alongside Ibisu and Kyatapirā, eyes narrowed behind his mask. The seal comes to life within a second, growing upwards and forming a barrier around them. Jakkaru's chakra flares, and surges. Both he and his barrier glow, and Jakkaru _(Toru)_ knows that the genins _(his kids)_ will probably guess who he is based off of his chakra signature, _(but it doesn't matter, because this is who he has always been, and maybe their thoughts will hurt him – but there are so many who have been proud of who he'd been, who he is, as Jakkaru, and that has to win out here)_.

The sand crushes down on the barrier. Jakkaru grits his teeth and shoves more chakra into the barrier, strengthening it when it threatens to give beneath the sand's weight. At last, the sand falls around them, listless without chakra. Not wasting a moment, Jakkaru drops the barrier.

:Protect genins,: the ANBU orders his teammates. Neither Ibisu nor Kyatapirā question him, grabbing the trio of genins and immediately turning away.

**"You cannot contain me!**" The Ichibi shouts at Jakkaru, who jumps into the air, barely avoiding being cocooned in sand. A body replacement, and he's out of the way, resting in a treetop a hundred metres or so from the Ichibi. "**I will not be stopped! You will die unknown and **i **everyone will see **_me_** AND THEY WILL KNOW FEAR!**"

Jakkaru leaps away again, dodging another attack. Clearly, the Ichibi is not fully in control. Forming a water clone, Jakkaru body flickers over to his teammates and the genins. "Brief now," he says lowly.

"It's Gaara from Sunagakure," Sakura quickly explains, words slurring together in her rush. "He just become the monster somehow!"

"He's on top of the beast's head," Sasuke adds. "Sleeping, we think."

"There's- He's got no one- You won't kill him, will you?" Naruto says at last, words loud, harsh, _(ringing in Jakkaru's ears, because this is not just about Gaara but another orphan with a beast of chakra sealed within him)_.

"No," Jakkaru replies, glad that he can be certain of that much. "I will not. Ibisu, Kyatapirā, if you must, return to Konoha. Protection is the highest priority here."

"Hai, Chūi," Ibisu answers, and Jakkaru leaves the group just as his water clone is demolished by a wave of sand.

There's no way for Jakkaru to win against what is, essentially, a tailed beast even if the tailed beast in question is somewhat limited by being sealed into a jinchūriki. He doesn't actually know any jinchūriki seals, although – with enough time – he could probably create a few, it means there's nothing he can do to fully seal the Ichibi away. Moreover, since he doesn't know the seal used on the jinchūriki, he's limited on his use of seals to contain the creature.

Still, there's one or two ideas circling Jakkaru's head, and even if he can't do anything, he'll try. For Konoha, for his teammates, for his friends and family, he'll try.

A containment seal is his best hope, and it'll have to be one of the most basic seals he can use – one that won't interfere with other seals or cause an imbalance. Thus, the seal would probably depend on the will and strength of both the person the seal is applied to and the person who applies the seal. It won't be easy, _(nothing is ever easy),_ but it's doable, and that's all Jakkaru needs.

Without the chakra to waste, Jakkaru is relying on his body rather than any ninjutsu. He doesn't want to waste anything, and so he's going to try to avoid seals for as long as possible. Thankfully, complete control over one's body is something desired in a ninja, so Jakkaru's trembling muscles slowly stop as he forces his body to work with him.

Adrenaline pulses through his system, as it has constantly, and Jakkaru knows he's going to come down from all of this terribly. But that's neither here nor now, so it doesn't matter.

Flinging himself sideways, Jakkaru rolls across the ground, coming up on his feet just as his previous perch is pulverised by sand. Quickly moving, the ANBU launches himself up, and as the sand comes to attack him, he channels chakra to his feet and lands on top of the sand, rather than landing in it and being squashed.

_(Konoha ninjas don't deal with sand that often, unlike Sunagakure ninjas and – once upon a time – Uzushio ninjas. After all, on an island, there had been plenty of sand around and it enabled Uzushio's ninjas to adapt water walking techniques to avoid sinking in the sand. It had originally been created just to make life easier, but then it became an important chakra control lesson for Uzushio's ninjas.)_

_(And now? Now, it might help save Jakkaru's life.)_

Jakkaru runs up the spike of sand, chakra covering the base of his shoes. The Ichibi is made up of sand held together with chakra, and can't get Jakkaru as long as the ANBU continues to run on the sand by pulsing chakra from the bottom of his feet. Leaping, Jakkaru lands on the Ichibi's shoulder, just as he crushes half a chakra pill in his mouth, _(and he's going to be feeling that if he makes it out of this alive – which is what will happen, because he's hopeful and he's been in worse situations and gotten out of them)_.

Another jump lands him on the Ichibi's head, and sand around him rises, ready to pound down on him. Behind his jackal mask, crouching beside a redhead boy, Jakkaru grins and places his hand on the sand, allowing it to slip over his fingers. "Fūin," he says, _(and it's like a whisper and a roar)_.

Chakra surges forward, exploding around Jakkaru. It envelops Gaara and the Ichibi howls as the sand starts falling to pieces, the chakra holding it together faltering at last. Jakkaru narrows his eyes, finds his determination, and forces the seal to work with nothing but belief.

"**NOOO**," the Ichibi snarls, but it's too late. Jakkaru grabs hold of Gaara, and leaps upward. He softens his landing with chakra, and just manages to avoid falling over himself, instead quickly sitting down amongst the massive piles of sand.

"Gaara-san?" Jakkaru calls softly, motioning to his team to stay put for now. The genin in front of him twitches, and comes to life, scrambling backwards. "Easy, kid, easy."

"You're going to hurt me!" Gaara shouts back, voice high-pitched and hateful. He doesn't appear like the kid Jakkaru's trailed on patrol briefly, but he is – still – the same kid.

Leaning back and placing his hands open and flat on his knees, Jakkaru admits "I might if you give me reason to do so. I don't particularly want to see my home ruined by the Ichibi, but I think we've got a handle on that now. I placed a seal over your current one to keep the Ichibi contained for now. I'll have to take a better look when I'm not on the edge of chakra exhaustion and when nothing's trying to kill me."

"Why should I believe you?" Gaara spits. "Everyone's trying to kill me!"

"I'm not right now, am I?" Jakkaru asks.

"I'll prove my existence! You'll die and-"

"And no one will be surprised," Jakkaru cuts in, words edged with something hard. Interestingly enough, Gaara actually pauses, as if he's listening for once. "Gaara-san, you're dangerous – people know this. Your existence? It's been noted down. You're not about to be forgotten anytime soon, especially if you let yourself be heard. But how you want to be remembered – that should matter. That should be important. Do you want to be recalled with fear? Or do you wish to be recalled fondly?"

"Okā-san says–"

"Okā-san?" Jakkaru echoes.

"She spoke to you," Gaara explains. "she says that I'll be safe if I kill everyone and then they'll have to remember me."

_(He has dealt with Sasuke, as a child, broken and bruised and aching, who wanted a family but had his taken from him. He has dealt with Naruto, young and hurting and doing his best to remain positive, who had wanted someone to love him more than anything else, but had never been given the opportunity. He has dealt with Tomoe and Kira and Hikaru and so many others, street kids who don't really need help of any kind, but needed to be reminded that they mattered.) _

_(He's never really known what to do to help. He's only ever done his best. Gaara's not like anyone he's tried to help, but he'll try anyway.)_

_(Of course, he's going to try. He's always going to try.)_

"Someone sealed a creature of chakra within you, Gaara-san," Jakkaru says quietly, _(and these words will never be gentle, but that doesn't mean he can't try to be anyway)_. "Your Okā-san is not who you hear in your hand, nor does she tell you these things. That's the Ichibi, who I just fought."

"It's not!" Gaara screams back, _(screams and shouts, and despite it all, he is a child)_. "It can't be. You're wrong!" The redhead scrunches his eyes shut, hands coming up and gripping his biceps. "It's not true."

"Hey, Gaara-san, eyes on me," Jakkaru snaps, causing the other ninja to open his eyes and glare at the ANBU. "I know you don't really want to kill everyone. You have some control over the Ichibi, and it is your will that stops them from attacking us right now and destroying everything. This is you protecting us, and I think that's much more memorable than a ninja killing someone else. After all, in our line of work, that's fairly normal."

Gaara tilts his head, and remains silent. Jakkaru wants nothing more to ruffle this kid's hair and give him a hug – but he doesn't know how Gaara will react and he's meant to be an ANBU currently. "Death is something we're all used to Gaara-san, but we don't always have to be killers. I mean, we are killers, yes, but that's not all we are. Without my team… my family and friends, I would be less than I am. Something precious to protect is what makes me strive to keep moving forward and in this way, my existence is recognised."

"I've… I've killed a lot of people, and hurt even more," Gaara whispers, _(as if the admittance is something he is ashamed of)_. "But I didn't want to, once. I don't think I want to unless I have to."

Hidden behind a jackal mask, Jakkaru smiles. "How about we head back to Konoha, and, once we've both recovered, I fix your seal?"

"Okay," Gaara says, shifting so he stands. Jakkaru nods and gestures to his teammates, along with the genins, that they can approach. He attempts to stand, but his legs shake and he almost falls.

Thankfully, one of his teammates – Kyatapirā – manages to loop his arm around her shoulders so he doesn't fall. :Idiot: she signs to him, and Jakkaru finds it quite funny that the three of them had invented a new sign just to insult one another.

"Back to Konoha," Jakkaru orders. "Gaara-san is coming with us and will need to get his seal redone, when I've worked something out."

"Status, Jakkaru," Ibisu orders.

"I'm very close to burning out my chakra coils having had two and a half chakra pills," Jakkaru informs his team quietly, ensuring that the genins can't hear him by dropping voice. "I'm also going to pass out from chakra exhaustion within the next ten minutes. That could be a problem."

"Mention this!" Kyatapirā hisses at Jakkaru, who nods. The ANBU curses and fixes her grip on Jakkaru, who – now that she's looking for it – has dangerously low chakra. She suddenly comes to the realisation that Jakkaru is probably not saying how serious everything is because of the genins around and because he isn't meant to appear weak in front of enemies.

Well, if the redhaired jinchūriki is going to kill them, they have no chance against it, and the Konoha genins have probably figured out who Jakkaru is without his mask. "Ibisu, chakra transfusion," Kyatapirā tells her teammate as she shifts Jakkaru's mask so it sits on the side of his head. "Konoha genins, start heading back towards Konoha. Gaara-san-"

"He can come with us!" Naruto shouts, "I've- I got somethings I want to say to him, and he's not going to hurt us! Are you Gaara-kun?"

The Sunagakure genin blinks and glances at the ANBU team. "No?" He sounds unsure.

Catching Jakkaru's small nod, Ibisu sighs. "Go," he says, turning to his teammates. He places a hand on Jakkaru's forehead and lets his chakra travel up his arm. "C'mon, accept it," he tells Jakkaru, who blinks slowly, and is clearly doing his best to not pass out.

"Enough," Jakkaru says after twenty seconds has passed. He shifts his weight and remains standing. "Ibisu, make sure the kids get back. Get – I don't know – someone capable to watch over Gaara-san who won't scare the kid. We need him on our side. And yes, I'll head to the hospital. Kyatapirā, get a report to the Hokage or our stand in, if we currently have one. I'll find you when I get pushed into work, but I might be needed outside of the mask."

"Hai!" His teammates answer, and then shoot off towards Konoha. Standing by himself, Jakkaru takes to the trees and watches as the genins make their slow and steady way back to Konoha.

* * *

**And so, the Ichibi is taken down by a group of ANBU and genins. New information is given and numerous ninjas find themselves with knowledge that could change them and their lives. It seems, at long last, that Konoha has fought off the attack and won. But the question remains – what is left for the aftermath?**

* * *

_**So like, this chapter had me paused for a few months. I just couldn't get beyond the part where Naruto sees the Kyuubi. I'm not entirely sure if I'll have much to say for this, but we'll see how it goes. I feel like I'm about to fall asleep while reading this chapter to write this note, which is y'know, not good. But also, I read this a few times yesterday (not the whole thing, but the first half) so I knew what I was writing, so I'm a bit bored of it. Also, it's pretty much just fighting, which doesn't really require much note writing. **_

_**In relation to the barrier that Jakkaru brings down - it's powered on human chakra, as opposed to natural chakra. However, with a seal, Jakkaru causes the barrier to absorb natural chakra, leading to the breakdown of the barrier (and the backlash to hit those powering the barrier originally). **_

_**You can see the breakdown of the Ichibi and Gaara when he speaks towards the end - the un-bolded 'i' and the italicised 'me' is more Gaara speaking than anything else. **_

_**Gaara and Jakkaru/Toru speaking? Hella hard. Originally, Naruto was meant to be speaking, but then it just didn't work out that way. Oh, Naruto will talk on the way back to Konoha to Gaara, and that'll have some major effects, but it isn't what really stops Gaara. Obviously, Gaara's characterisation is a bit different here to how it is in the manga/anime, but that's because I was working along the line that while Gaara kills, he doesn't want to always kill - like, subconsciously that is. After all, if Gaara wanted to prove his existence through killing he could just unleash the Ichibi at any time? So, yeah, I decided that it was a conscious decision that Gaara wants to kill due to Ichibi pushing forward the sentiment in his mind, but he isn't someone who wants to always kill. He just thinks that's what he thinks/wants - if that makes any sense?**_

_**So Gaara? Yeah, I did a lot of reading on him... a few months before I actually did any writing of him, so like I forgot all about it until after I wrote this chapter. The good news is that I am totally capable of using what I had read and written in relation to Gaara's character. I actually have a comment chain on Gaara's characterisation both in canon and my thoughts on what may happen in this series. If you want to see that, it's in Chapter 6 of Ocean's Own Stories (on AO3). I think it'd actually be interesting to have some writing in Gaara's perspective? So I might get around to doing that in this book, and I have some good ideas on when/where I can do it as well, so it'll probably appear soon. **_

_**This is one arc pretty much over (just have the aftermath to deal with, which should be about one chapter or less), and then we move into the next - and final - arc of this book. I'm... kinda really excited about how this will go. Also a bit unsure, because writing emotional stuff on purpose isn't a strong point of mine. But, guess that just means I can improve! Hope you enjoyed this chapter guys. Keep being awesome! **_


	18. Recovery

_** TigrezzTail It has occurred to me that I could simply PM you a response, but I feel like I don't have enough to say to actually message you. Thus, here is your answer to your last review. I will be honest, I have no idea why the past chapter was called 'Volant'. The simplest reason that I have come up with is that Toru moved really fast and almost seemed to be flying? I have no real clue. As far as I know, volant relates to flying-whether something is characterised by flight or an animal capable of flying, etc. I wasn't aware it related to coat of arms in anyway, but you learn something knew everyday I suppose. I'm glad you enjoyed the battles! I wanted to have something different but didn't want to take away what would exist between all of them. Hence, we ended up with the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

* * *

Koharu Utatane has blood on her fingers when an ANBU appears beside her. With a kunai in each hand, Koharu raises an eyebrow. She is fully aware of what she looks like – bloodied and victorious, grey hair streaked with blood, wrinkles all over her face but strong regardless, _(she formed legends but they are not hers by name, rather by title)_.

"Your presence is required at the hospital," the masked ANBU says.

Heart in her throat, Koharu nods and triggers a body flicker, landing on the second floor in a partially crowded hospital corridor. The ANBU follows a second behind her, and gestures at her. They move swiftly, down a flight of stairs and through a door guarded by a Sarutobi jōnin. Koharu knows that they've entered the off-limits part of the hospital where important members of the Ninja Corps are placed for recovery along with ANBU members. She knows what this means and is already preparing for the worst.

After entering a room guarded by two ANBU, Koharu's guide disappears in a swirl of leaves and she's left staring at an old friend's face against pale white sheets. "Hokage-sama," Koharu says, bowing her head.

"Koharu," her Hokage answers, voice barely hiding a rasp. "As you can see, I'm in no position to run Konoha currently."

"What's your prognosis?" Koharu asks, and her voice doesn't shake nor does she tremble. She is a kunoichi, retired or not.

Hiruzen coughs, a wizened hand covering his mouth. "I will live," he admits. "But I was injured grievously and with all the healing I have undertaken, my body has taken a toll. I have also been banned from using chakra for the next few months or my chakra system may breakdown."

"I am to be acting Hokage then?" Koharu questions.

Hiruzen tilts his head. "You are the only one who does not have a position that prevents them from doing so."

"Then rest, Hiruzen," Koharu says as she pulls herself together. "I will look after Konoha in your stead."

"No," Hiruzen says sternly, before pausing as a coughing fit racks his frame. "I am no longer capable of remaining as Hokage, today has proved that. We need someone new to take the position."

Koharu nods. She knows full well that Hiruzen is far too old to hold the Hokage position, and it has been this way for years. There are very few who are capable of taking the position, even fewer who currently have the reputation to take it without Konoha appearing weak. "Who are you pushing for?"

"Tsunade Senju," Hiruzen answers, narrowing his eyes at Koharu. "I know this is not who you wish to be Hokage, but she has the reputation and power to do so."

"She hasn't stepped foot in Konoha for over a decade!" Koharu points out, before shaking her head. "No, this is something to decide over later. I will put the name forward in one of our council meetings later this week. We have more important things to focus on currently."

"Go," her Hokage orders.

"Recover soon, Hiruzen," Koharu says in response, and then she's moving quickly. "Bībā-san," she calls. The masked ANBU who'd retrieved her earlier falls into step with her. "Have two ANBU on guard duty over Hokage-sama. Then have the Jōnin Commander, ANBU Commander, Chūnin Commander, and Genin Commander meet me in my office."

"Hai!" The ANBU says, disappearing in a swirl of leaves once again.

Koharu moves rapidly, taking the rooftops and entering the Hokage's office through the window. Thankfully, there appears to be no one waiting. Within the minute, the four commanders of the different Corp leaders are in the office. "I'm currently acting Hokage on Hokage-sama's orders," she explains succinctly. "I need all four of you to pull from reserves as we need to be working quickly and with full power. Aburame-san, I need you to have the chūnins take on B-rank and C-rank missions, pushing those who can onto A-rank missions and border patrols, with one jōnin for each patrol. I also want a three-ninja squad heading to the Kohaku Clan village for assistance."

Sakiko Aburame bows low and then leaves with a gesture from Koharu. "Akimichi-san, I'm going to need you to instruct the genins to work on help get rid of the rubble and help with building efforts. Currently, have them work on find and rescue. Last I saw, the police were working on that, so speak to their leader about that. Pair the genins, occasionally with an older chūnin if you need to, to break down the rubble and cart it off somewhere. Genins capable of using earth chakra can weaken the rubble to break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Put the genins who can't help into C-rank missions. Speak with the assistant Headmaster of the Ninja Academy to organise Academy students completing D-rank missions."

"I'll get onto it," Kenshin Akimichi says before leaving the office.

"Nara-san, the other villages are going to be looking at us and thinking we're weak. We need to build up our reputation and avoiding a war response, especially with the amount of nobles and outside ninjas currently within our wars. Have jōnins complete A-rank and B-rank missions. We're going to need our reputation and show off our power shortly. Moreover, can you have some of your clan help over in the hospital in relation to medicine and the needed herbs?"

"I'll sort out the other divisions as well," the Nara Clan Head replies. "Would you like a report from the hospital regarding causalities and injuries?"

"That would be brilliant," Koharu answers, dismissing the Jōnin Commander and turning to the remaining ninja. "I'll take a pair of ANBU to guard me and no more. Bībā-san has been told the guards needed for Hokage-sama. Have your ninjas move onto A-rank and S-rank missions as soon as possible. Have a small force guard the captured ninjas. Come to me if anything comes up."

The ANBU Commander bows and then leaves in a blur of movement and colour. Koharu inhales, exhales, and gathers herself. There is no time for weakness nor even resting currently. She is all she has, _(and it will be enough)_.

_(She has made it enough previously, and so she will do the same here.)_

A ninja appears in her office, tightly coiled tension in their shoulders. "Report," Koharu snaps.

"The Ichibi jinchūriki has been contained," Kyatapirā says. "Jakkaru has placed down a seal that should contain the Ichibi for now, but has mentioned they will need to place a proper seal down at a later time. The jinchūriki is with current genins Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Naruto Uzumaki."

"Are they hostile currently?"

"No," Kyatapirā replies and Koharu nods.

"Alright then, have a reserve ANBU guard him for now and set him up in a hotel of some sort. Make sure he remains stable. Have the genins allowed to recover and report for duty later."

"Hai," the ANBU says, saluting, and then disappearing.

Koharu heads out of the office. Upon seeing a genin waiting, she clicks her fingers at them. "Retrieve Iruka Umino and the assistant Headmaster of the Ninja Academy for me," she orders, deciding to have Iruka act as her assistant for now, since she has no idea where Hiruzen's main assistant is.

Iruka finds Koharu first, as she steps out onto the street. "Congratulations, you're now the acting Hokage's assistant," she says, only realising that it sounds a bit mean after the words have left her lips.

The shinobi takes it in his stride, however, and nods. "What do you need me to do?"

"See if you can get the reports relating to injuries and casualties from the Jōnin Commander or hospital and then go through the paperwork on the Hokage's desk if it isn't marked confidential or 'Hokage's eyes only'. Do you have the security for that?"

"I do," Iruka says. "Is that all for now?"

"Yes, I'm doing a check in of the nobles and ninjas from outside the village now," Koharu replies. "I hope you're ready for an all-nighter." Iruka merely grins and turns around, heading back into the Hokage building. Alone, Koharu continues onward.

* * *

Yasu has known, for quite some time, that the Uchiha Clan Compound residents are probably the strangest mix of residents you'll ever have – including the akasen and surrounding areas. After all, there are the merchants who travel to various different locations and come from places that Yasu has never been, there are the criminals who've been promised a better life and take that opportunity, there are people who make up the part of the police force, there are those trying to leave their pasts behind, there are the street kids that take great efforts to hide and keep out of sight _(and the residents let the kids get away with it, making sure that the stockpiles always have supplies and making sure they're okay)_, there are houses that Yasu's fairly certain contains people who once lived in the akasen, and there are all the others who have been down on their luck.

Still, he's surprised by the defence they've managed to create while the battle continues in Konoha. There's a few of them who dropped out of the Academy when they were younger, and the majority of them have had self-defence training of some kind. Almost half of all the merchants have some blade training, which doesn't surprise Yasu in the least – he's aware of how dangerous the roads can be. What does surprise him is the fact that the receptionist for Amachi's Vet Clinic had been a samurai, once upon a time, and still keeps up with their training. What surprises him is the number of knives some of the akasen people have hidden on them and their readiness to use them.

It made something in Yasu unravel, a nugget of anxiety calmed. They wait – for minutes, for hours, with family and with friends and with acquaintances; all of them brought together by a place to live _(and one person)_.

The sounds of battle lessen, and Yasu wonders if it is all – at last – over. He wonders if he's wife is alright – she's technically only working as a guard today, so she shouldn't be in the line of fire but still, Yasu worries. Not to mention, he doesn't even know what police are meant to do if Konoha is attacked. It's doubtful they ever thought to have a plan since the idea of Konoha being attacked had, previously, been unconceivable.

Nearby, Aki stands, and Yasu heart races. His hands clench, and he quickly gets to his feet. All around him, others do the same, ready and waiting for whatever might be approaching them.

"It's the police!" Someone calls out, and Yasu sighs in relief. He hurries forward, the others easily and willingly parting before him. One of the police officers he recognises easily since it's Tsuyoshi. The other though isn't actually wearing the police uniform at all, and Yasu has no idea who they are.

"Tsuyoshi-san, what's the situation?" Yasu immediately asks, glancing sideways at Tsuyoshi's partner before deciding to ignore them.

"Konoha's win," Tsuyoshi answers, raising his voice loud enough so that the others behind Yasu can hear him. "However, many buildings have been damaged and we're going to be looking at months of repairing at a guess, not to mention the number of people who are going without a home currently. We've been doing as much search and rescue as we can, but, well, these things take time."

"I'll gladly open my house to anyone in need, although I would need to talk to Kohaku first," Yasu says. "But never mind that, we would have to clear it first with Uchiha-sama first."

"It's good to see that everyone's safe," Tsuyoshi adds. "The rest of Konoha isn't such a grand sight, although the majority of people managed to get to safety. We figured we'd check here, since there's been no sighting of anyone in the bunkers."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Yasu asks, disliking the idea of siting at home and waiting for his wife to come back, _(being unable to help the people who mightn't have helped him, but who Toru helps regardless)._

Tsuyoshi pauses, but his partner speaks up instead. "Yeah, there's heaps. We need some help with search and rescue. Now that the fighting's dying down, we can search faster but it's not easy to get people out and there are tons of people spread out through Konoha and we don't really know where they are. The hospital's being filled with ninjas with fighting injuries and those with the most serious injuries, so they could do with some hands just to help with medical dressing and basic shit that they don't have time to waste on. Supplies would go handy as well. Plus, we need to check the less fancy areas of Konoha where most people won't think to look. We're stretched thin as it is."

"Tsuyoshi-san?" Yasu double-checks, recognising that the dog beside Tsuyoshi's partner has a training collar on rather than a police collar, _(and it's not like the dog training program in the prison is a secret)_, knowing that Tsuyoshi has the power here and knowing better than to trust strangers, _(it's only worked out once before and Yasu's fairly certain that Toru is a special case)_.

"Hikaru-san is right," Tsuyoshi confirms.

"Consider it done," Yasu decides, turning to face the others behind him. However, they're already moving, getting into small groups and heading out – to get medical supplies, to help, to do whatever they can. Yasu grins and follows them out.

* * *

Tomoe is travelling quickly with Rena, Kira and Hikaru are covering ground elsewhere. She has to get through half their territory with Rena, searching for anyone injured or potential problems for the future, _(and if she comes across any downed attackers, she doesn't know what she'll do – but it probably won't be pretty)._

_(How dare they attack her home? Her people?)_

It soothes something hard and angry in Tomoe whenever she comes across a ninja, one of the attackers, lying in her path. All the ones they come across are dead, and Tomoe's happier for it – it's what they deserve, for coming here and ruining their lives. She's a street kid and so she's used to the hard, sharp part of her heart that beats and cuts simultaneously. It had eased, though, with Ryuu's interference and she was grateful for that. But right now, it'll see her through to the end of this.

Thankfully, the street kids and all the rest of them had managed to get shit done, gathered themselves and their stolen weapons, and with tricks and skills gained over a lifetime, _(a handful of years)_, that come from the streets and nothing else, they challenge those who dare come into the territory. They win, for the most part. There are injuries and deaths, but they survive and that's always a win, _(the streets aren't a home for the faint of heart, only the survivors get anything in their lives)_.

Someone enters the other end of the alley, and Tomoe's hand slips down to the knife secured by her hip. Rena slips into the shadows, pulling herself up onto a small ledge above the normal height of an adult.

They stop, metres away, not quite hidden in shadow but their face isn't clearly visible. Still, they seem familiar in that vague way that most people Tomoe sees often but never really notices do. So, they're from somewhere she visits regularly, which could be a lot of places. Maybe they're from somewhere in her territory or maybe they live near one of the supply points, she doesn't know. What she does know is that it's unlikely they mean her harm.

_(But she's not going to trust them straightaway either.)_

Crouching down, they place their hands palm up to show that they aren't holding any weapons. "The Uchiha Clan Compound has medical supplies and will give them out but also help if anyone needs any kind of help. No questions or anything, of course."

Tomoe bites back down the immediate snarl that rushes to the surface of her mind, anger thrumming in her bones, heady, _(dangerous)_. "Why?" She asks, _(and she can think of nothing else to ask)_.

"Because people are hurt and we can't do much," they reply, "so we're doing what we can."

_(And once Tomoe never would have understood that, but she's not who she once was either. Now, now she thinks she can understand that, the idea of helping people because you can.)_

"We'll let people know," she decides, _(and these people were ones chosen by Ryuu and maybe that makes them her people or maybe they're all his people, whatever they case, she thinks she can trust them)_.

_(They're going to be okay.)_

* * *

Perhaps fifty metres from the gate, Gaara is shepherded off by two ANBU – one that is on Jakkaru's _(Toru's)_ team, and so Team Kakashi watches the boy, _(and he is only a boy)_, leave. After entering the gate, they quickly find themselves at a loss for what to do. Konoha's–

Well.

Konoha's in ruins and rubble, but there's no death, no underlying mourning. Sasuke finds himself shifting, huddling between Sakura and Naruto, taking comfort by pressing their shoulders together. There's a slight tinge of anger and mania to everyone's moving, but it could be worse, _(the words echo themselves in Sasuke's head – it could be worse, it could be so much worse)_.

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Takuma!" Someone shouts, and there's a loud bark. Team Kakashi turn, facing the newcomer.

Kiba skids to a stop next to them, Akamaru an ever-present shadow at his side. He surveys them, a quick glance that's something they see on Shikamaru's face more than anyone else's. "You're all okay?" He asks, a heartbeat later.

"Sore," Naruto immediately answers.

"Exhausted," Sasuke adds.

"Bruised, a few bumps, but nothing major," Sakura says. "We probably don't need medical aid. Although, I could do with my ankle wrapped and Sasuke definitely needs his wrist wrapped. Other than that, I think we'll just be in recovery for a while."

"You're best off avoiding the hospital currently," Kiba says, rocking back on his heels slightly. He tilts his head, nostrils flaring. "If you need medical supplies or aid, though, the Uchiha Clan Compound is the best place to go," he continues with an apologetic look at Sasuke, "since the residents seem to have decided to help out by providing aid for injuries that are minor that the hospital can't handle currently."

The moment he finishes speaking, the Inuzuka twists, just as Shino and Hinata emerge over the rubble of a ruined house. "Team Asuma are in good health," Shino reports. "Team Gai are well, physically that is."

"We're off duty for the night," Hinata adds. "We're to report to the Genin Corp leader at nine tomorrow morning. It's a skeleton crew and a half tonight. I think the teams will be split for now."

"All of us?" Naruto asks.

"I think Shikamaru has been called in for some intelligence work, but I'm not certain. But yes, all of us have been ordered to get rest," she answers.

"I saw your sensei," Shino adds, suddenly. "He appeared uninjured. I am sure he will come looking for you soon."

"Injuries?" Sakura asks, gaze resting on the red bandage over Kiba's hand.

"A cut," Kiba says, waving the hand in question. "Not even anything worth getting healed, I could probably do without the bandage but infection and all that. There's low chakra, but most people have that."

"Indeed," Shino concludes. "Hinata has bruised ribs, but the worst of it for our team. Ino managed to get out unscathed aside from various bruises. Shikamaru appears to be fine, but may have had a cut stitched up earlier at the Nara residence. Chōji is also fine, aside from a few stitches on his arm. Lee-san seems to have some massive bruises, but he appeared fine when he ran past us at some point. Neji-san was with him and was keeping up. Based on that, I would assume everyone is fine."

"What are you planning to do now then?" Naruto asks, and Team Asuma exchanges a lingering glance.

"We should be going home," Kiba acknowledges, "but..."

Hinata slings her arms around the shoulders of her teammates, "It'd be weird to leave them after all of this," she says. "I think... I think that we're all a bit like that, don't you agree?"

Swallowing, Sakura glances at her teammates, _(and she remembers coming back from Wave, remembers the fight for their lives, and remembers sticking beside them in small rooms and clutching their hands as sand comes crashing down and-),_ "Yeah," she says, the word catching in her throat. "I think we understand that."

Hinata smiles, a small thing, and it's the best any of them can probably do in this situation but it's there, _(and that's what matters)._ "We'll catch up soon enough, alright?" She says, and then she turns with her teammates, and they're heading over rubble towards - presumably – a clan compound.

Takuma nudges Sasuke's leg, huffing lightly before nosing the ground. "We've Kakashi-sensei's scent," the Uchiha says, "relatively recent, I think."

"Can we track it?" Sakura asks quickly, before scratching the back of her neck. "It's not like I don't trust the others' information but..."

"We need to see it with our own eyes," Naruto agrees, glancing at Sasuke, _(and there's a wealth of information in that glance and Sakura would bet that it has to do with Jakkaru, with Toru)._

The ninken bumps Sasuke's leg and then settles into a slow jog. "Takuma can follow," Sasuke says in dry amusement, rather needlessly. Team Kakashi drifts after the dog, touching one another without meaning to, keeping by one another's side, as they continue through a Konoha that's not looking the best, _(but it's here and still standing and even if there are patches of blood and rubble in places - Konoha stands and that is really all they can ask for; well, that and their friends and family surviving, of course)_.

Before they can find their teacher, Kakashi finds them, landing in front of them from a rooftop. "Hey kids," he says softly, crouching down slightly. They swarm around him, nervous and uncertain and full of emotions they can't quite explain to their teacher and themselves. "It's alright," Kakashi says. "Sakura-chan, I checked in with your parents - they're safe."

Sakura's face tightens, and she-

She wonders. Her first thought hadn't been about her parents, hadn't been about her blood family at all really. And maybe that makes her a bad daughter, a bad child, but she can't help it - her first thought had been about her teammate, her friends, Konoha as a whole. Maybe it says something about her, that she'll put her village first, that the thought of her parents in the attack - civilians who can't even defend themselves - hadn't even crossed her mind.

A hand ruffles her hair, and she tilts her head to glance up at Kakashi. "Tomorrow," the older ninja promises. "We'll go through everything as soon as we can, but for now – rest, I think." And after that, it's easy for the three of them and Takuma to make their way to the apartment where Sasuke and Naruto and Toru live. It's easy for Sakura to crawl into bed with the other two, the trio falling into a heap in the safety of a place they call home. Tired, but alive, sleep comes easy, _(and even if there are nightmares, even if Sasuke's eyes bled right with the sharingan, they're exhausted and so they sleep; safe, alive, and at peace)._

* * *

Jakkura rolls out of bed three hours after laying down in it and instantly going to sleep. His chakra is resting at a steady level, even if it's far below his normal. There's a buzzing in his veins, an ever-present ache in his muscles. Stretching his body, he mentally notes down the worst of the aches and puts it down to something he'll stretch later.

The hospital had been in a state of calamity when he'd arrived, which was to be expected. Thankfully, his mask meant that he'd quickly been taken to an area for ANBUs only and asked to report any injuries. The medic-nin hadn't even berated him for overusing chakra pills and pushing himself to the point of chakra exhaustion, _(it is an easy thing to understand – the extent one would go to in order to protect their village)_. Instead, they'd simply healed his inflamed chakra paths, warned him against any chakra intensive acts, and then told him to get to sleep.

He's slept for long enough – two whole sleep cycles and even he still feels the need to rest, he can operate functionally for now. After all, three hours of sleep is less than he actually needs to continue to work at an optimal level.

A muted alarm in the back of his head tells him that the apartment wards have been going off for a long time. Tilting his head, Jakkaru analyses it – he hadn't woken up, so clearly someone whose chakra has been characterised as safe is there or within the boundaries. Unimportant then.

Jakkaru needs to report – his mission can wait, as it contains no vital information, but there's the Hokage to consider and the jinchūriki, _(his name is Gaara and he is not a monster)_. There's his team to consider as well, _(Eruku had been injured and he has no idea how badly and if she's still alive or anything)_.

He exits the room into one of the bland halls of the hospital. Before he can go further than a step, an ANBU flickers in front of him. "Report to the Hokage's office," he's quickly ordered, before the other ANBU blurs and disappears.

With that order in mind, it's easy for Jakkaru to gather himself and slip open one of the hallway's many windows. He squeezes out, and with chakra skating along the souls of his feet and fingertips, leaps out, landing on a lamppost. He orientates himself, taking note of the rubble of buildings,_ (and it could be so much worse than it is and for that he is thankful)_, and heads towards the Hokage's office.

He lands on the window sill, chakra flaring lightly in warning. Instead of the Sandaime being behind the desk, Koharu is there. She glances up and nods at him. Rather than questioning it, Jakkaru simply enters the room, taking up a position opposite Koharu, hands behind his back. He waits for an explanation that he's sure will happen soon.

"Minku, Ferretto," Koharu snaps, and the two ANBU appear on either side of Jakkaru. "I'm activating a security seal currently, take up alternative positions." Both ANBU salute and then disappear out of the room, and with a touch of chakra to her fingertips, Koharu activates a seal. The seal glows, black lines extending across the floor and ceiling and walls. "Explain about the Sunagakure jinchūriki's seal," she orders.

"My team, excluding our Captain who had been taken out prior with an injury and retired to the hospital, came across the scene where Team Kakashi, consisting of Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha, were attempting to defeat the Ichibi. Upon reaching the scene, I intervened with my team in time to prevent the deaths of the genins. Following this, I ensured that the genins were removed from the immediate area and out of harm's way and managed to place a seal down that binds the Ichibi – partially, that is. It depends largely on the person and whether they want to unleash the Ichibi. This seal shouldn't remain applied for a very long time, as it could interfere with the original seal."

"I have very limited prowess with sealing. What is your recommendation with the current seal?" Koharu asks.

Jakkaru pauses, and he isn't just considering the seal he has to place down here, _(he's also considering his skills and what he has kept hidden and what he no longer will, because this - this will make his name known for fūinjutsu, and not just an assassination jutsu, and that makes everything much more dangerous; Uzushio was attacked because of their seals and he has no idea of what the consequence could be from this – or he'd rather not think about it)._ "I'd recommend that a different seal be placed down," he says at last. "A seal that builds on top of the next one rather than removing the initial one – as that could unleash the Ichibi outside of the jinchūriki's body, which is... ill-advised, at best."

Koharu doesn't say anything, and she's too good of a ninja to let her emotions be painted across her face, before – at last, saying, "What would you need to lay down such a seal?"

"Time," he responds immediately, "and I'd need to have a good look at that initial seal and any notes or information regarding jinchūriki seals would be helpful." He pauses, considering_, (and a seal room - would be helpful, but the last time he had been in one... his Uzukage had died, his best friend, his genin teammate, and then his village had fallen and he had never been in one since then; he's sure Konoha has some, but the few fūinjutsu users within Konoha means that they're unlikely to be used),_ "A seal room would be useful, but otherwise give me about three hours and I can make a room useable. Otherwise, I'd recommend an area outside and away from most people, and that I be allowed to lay down the necessary seals."

"Can you do it without that information?"

"Possibly," Jakkaru answers, "but I've never really focussed on jinchūriki seals, so it might not be done that well."

"I'll see what I can do then," Koharu decides. "I want this done in two days' time."

Jakkaru swallows but nods his head. "Hai," he says.

"Dismissed," Koharu says. "I'll let others know of your access. I expect you to check on the jinchūriki in approximately three hours."

Jakkaru salutes and Koharu undoes the privacy seal, and the ANBU quickly disappears. Although something in him urges him homeward, something else urges him towards the ANBU Headquarters, _(and within him, something hard and angry seethes - and for all the wrong reasons, so he tries to squash it, destroy it before it overwhelms him or digs itself a hole and remains there forevermore)_. It's not an easy choice, but it's not really a hard one, and Jakkaru points himself at the closer ANBU Headquarters, and quickly makes his way to his team's room.

When he gets there, two of his three teammates are already there. Unmasked and asleep on cots, they barely shift as Jakkaru eases his way into the room. He smiles, taking off his own mask and armour, feeling the aches and pains that come from sleeping in it and from fighting in the hours past. Opening his locker, he pulls out some basic clothing and changes, but instead of replacing the armour and mask in his locker, he seals them away in one of his storage seals.

"T'ru?" A slurred voice calls from behind him. Toru twists, feeling the soreness in the muscles along his ribs and glances at his teammates.

Sora covers her mouth, yawning, and nods. "Yeah," she says. "Oi, Souma," she says, causing the other shinobi to open one eye lazily. "Toru's here."

Souma pushes himself up, checking over Toru like Sora had just earlier. "You alright?"

"Not at my best," he readily admits, "but far from my worst. I'm not allowed to do anything chakra intensive for a bit. Any news?"

Both Sora and Souma's posture changes, becoming slightly tense, and Toru's own shoulders rise without conscious thought. "Eruku's out," Souma says, at last. "She lost her hand in the attack, so she's retiring from the Ninja Corps as a whole."

Toru shifts, and considers it, "She has been part of the ANBU Corps for four years now," he says.

"Better clear out your gear," Sora says, and Souma barely stops his flinch. "Our team will be disbanded."

_(He hates this. His team is almost everything he is, and he can't lose them now. Not after everything they've been through.)_

"There's a chance we won't be," Toru points out, even as he gathers his gear and puts in one of the storage scrolls laying by the couch. "There probably won't be any team shuffles any time soon, though."

Souma frowns but doesn't reply. "C'mon," Toru decides, "I'm gonna go check out my apartment and check the compound and everything. And then I've got a seal to construct which is..."

"Difficult?" Souma asks, grabbing his weapon's pouch and throwing Sora's to her.

Sora catches her and quickly puts it on. "I suppose this is the time for it," she muses as they group together.

_(But what this is the time for, she doesn't say – nor does she need to, actually. It's the time for a lot of things, for showing your cards, for showing your strength, for reminding everything that neither you nor your village should be messed with.)_

Toru takes point, easily taking to the roofs and mentally plotting their route, taking care to skirt around broken roofs and bits of rubble. It's not impossible to note where the buildings are unstable, but it takes a bit more effort to traverse the roofs than normal.

The trio quickly reach Toru's apartment block, slipping into the hallway as entering via a window or balcony directly into the apartment is, _(probably), _asking for trouble. Unlocking the door, Toru enters on quiet feet, reminding himself that it's still hours from mourning. The wards, once again, are tripped off in the back of his head, and glancing at Kakashi on the couch, Toru heads over to one of the photos up on the wall. Lifting the photo of his own genin team, he gently taps one chakra-glowing finger to the wall. Instantly, the seal glows, pulsing with light, and the wards fall quiet. Souma taps Toru on his shoulder and tugs Sora into the kitchen, moving about silently pulling together a meal. Toru smiles at the pair gratefully and glances over at Kakashi. The older shinobi tips his head towards the main bedroom door, and so Toru heads that way.

The door isn't fully shut, just resting against the frame, so Toru pushes it open. It swings inward easily, and he takes a quick glance around the room before his gaze rests on the three kids all combined on the one bed. They're a pile of limbs but what really catches his attention is how they are curled up around each other, protecting one another, (and maybe they're ready for something they hadn't been ready for a few years ago). Their gear has been placed in separate messy piles by the wall, but aside from that, everything looks exactly like how Toru had left it.

Stepping over a creaky floorboard, he returns to where Kakashi and his teammates are sitting on the couches. He gratefully takes a plate from Souma and Sora piles some salad onto his plate, which he rolls his eyes at. Still, he quickly starts eating, aware that he's rather hungry and none of them have really eaten anything other than ration bars for a while. Without saying a word to Kakashi, Souma foists a plate onto the other man with narrowed eyes, and positions himself in a location where he isn't looking at the masked man.

Kakashi pauses, but then picks up the sandwich that'd been on the plate. Toru rubs his left eye and tries to make a list on what he needs to do. There are notes he needs to check over for information on sealing beings made of chakra, and if he's smart, he'll check on the Uzushio citizens hidden across Konoha. Of course, he also needs to check on the residents of the Uchiha Clan Compound and see if there's any damage there. He should probably go looking for the dogs because only Takuma is in the apartment. He needs to also check on the street kids and see if there's anything he can do to help – anything they'll let him help with.

Kakashi signs something at him, pointing in the direction of where the genins are sleeping. Toru nods and stands up, activating the privacy seal and leaving his plate in the kitchen sink to deal with later, when he's not so exhausted and emotionally drained, _(and he can see he's going to be quite busy for the foreseeable future)._

"They won't hear us unless they come in," he tells Kakashi, taking a seat once again. "Souma and Sora are trustworthy, but they can leave the seal if you want."

Kakashi stares at him, long and considering, before shrugging. "If you say they're trustworthy, they can stay." He pauses, and then says "Sasuke-kun activated his Sharingan." The words are blunt, but there's a hidden wariness in Kakashi's voice, a fear not hidden completely.

Toru tilts his head, remembers Sasuke's red gaze in his peripheral vision. "Yeah," he says, the words tasting something like ash and maybe something like hope, "I know." There are books and papers and all sorts of things he should go find, but there's also the weight of a legacy resting not on his shoulders, but Sasuke's. Toru doesn't know if the kid's quite ready to handle it; he's handled so much already, but having the Sharingan... That meant so much more within the clan, but it also led to awful things and fighting and ideas of superiority.

He meets Kakashi's gaze evenly. "The Uchiha Clan has information that we can supply as needed," he says, remembers the eye that Kakashi keeps hidden, and so he adds "for both of you."

"I-" Kakashi starts, before falling silent. "Thank you," he says instead. "I'll make sure no one else sees them."

Toru nods in thanks and has nothing else to say, so he remains quiet. "I think the kids took their first kills," Kakashi adds. "I'll talk to them when they wake up about it before I get sent on a mission. Are you in-village or out for the next few weeks?"

Trading looks with his teammates; Toru runs a hand through his hair. "Definitely for the next two days," he says. "I'm not sure about what it'll happen after that. We'll probably get put on roster and have some missions."

Sora's eyes flicker to Kakashi and then to Toru, a silent question, and Toru nods once again. "We'll be heading out fairly soon," she says. "Especially you, Toru. You'll probably have some solos and missions piled with us for the most part."

"I'll keep my eye out on them for you," Kakashi says. Toru swallows because this is more than letting Kakashi teach them, more than trusting the older shinobi to keep them safe from harm for the most part. This is letting Kakashi into his apartment to watch over his kids and to keep them safe from their own hearts and minds rather than physical enemies. Toru trusts him though. Kakashi's proven himself worthy of it now.

"They'll be alright," he says in answer, _(and not just the genins, but all of them, him and Kakashi and his teammates and his team and Konoha; they're all going to be okay eventually)._

* * *

**Koharu is appointed acting Hokage with the Sandaime injured. Meanwhile the rest of Konoha, and those living there, respond to the attack. The initial crisis is over, but now the aftermath must be dealt with.**

* * *

_**I honestly expected this to go for one chapter, but I ended up splitting it into two after I pushed for the end bit of the next chapter. Also, sorry if any of the formatting is weird/not right. I was writing through a different software, which doesn't allow me to do my formatting so I have to do it once I've copied it across. Anyway, moving onto the actual chapter...**_

_**I'd been planning for Koharu to take up the position of acting Hokage for a while. Also, she's awesome and deserved the reappearance. More importantly, she has the understanding of the system and the will to actually undertake the position. Koharu doesn't agree with the Sandaime's decision that Tsunade should be put forward as Hokage - which is so fair. Like, so many of the current ninjas haven't grown up with Tsunade and don't really know her. Same goes for Jiraiya. The legend of the sannins is something that's been forgotten and largely left alone because of the horrific betrayal of Orochimaru and the abandoning of Konoha by the remaining members.**_

_**Anyway, I don't know how much more of this chapter will actually need explaining, because so much is just filler work.**_

_**The decision that Jakkaru/Toru deals with Gaara's seal as opposed to Jiraiya doing anything or the seal being left alone. Firstly, Jakkaru's already placed down a seal that won't last long and has brought up various problems with Koharu. Second, Koharu isn't sure how much she can trust Jiraiya who never comes to Konhoa. Thus, Jakkaru will end up doing something about Gaara's seal.**_


	19. Puissant

_** TigrezzTail I'm sure there are good reasons and maybe it was the right thing for her to do personally (self-care is important). However, for the others in Konoha, they've grown up knowing these legends-and knowing that these legends abandoned them. For the younger generations, I'd imagine that the sannins just seem like some history figure who no longer matter. For those who took part in the war efforts, being abandoned in the middle of a war would probably sting. And with Koharu, I figured you'd need someone to fulfil the position of Hokage in the intermediate before someone actually took the proper position, and Koharu has earned Konoha's loyalty (and deserves to remind everyone that she is awesome)**_

_** Shy911 Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it.**_

* * *

All too soon, Toru heads off towards the Uchiha Clan Compound. He is not an Uzukage here or ANBU Commander, or any kind of leader, but... They are his people, regardless. He may not be able to name each and every one of them, but he knows them, knows some of their families, some of their friends, parts of their stories, where they've come from.

He pauses on the wall of the compound and stares down at the mayhem that makes up Shūsanki Square. It's not bad mayhem; actually, it's the opposite. There are scattered pieces of wood and some carts and wagons have been pushed to the side, and there are signs of battle, but everywhere he looks he sees people helping one another. It's clearly a makeshift hospital area, first-aid being provided with whatever supplies are on hand. He sees people he knows from the compound and those who clearly don't live in the compound, and they're helping whoever they need. On a second glance, he notices his dogs hanging around near the entrance.

Leaping down, he lands beside them, instantly bending onto one knee. Haruto licks his face, nudging his hand, and Toru smiles_, (and it comes easily),_ ruffling the dog's head. Takumi presses her head against his leg, and he runs a careful hand down her back. She huffs, and lays down, head on her forepaws. Aki and Teisatu lift their heads, but don't stand, clearly exhausted, so Toru leans down and strokes their fur gently. "Good dogs," he says, and he'd order them home, but this is their home. They will guard it with their lives and will do all they can to keep the people inside it safe. Perhaps this is his legacy, in a way, leaving guards for a place of peace and happiness, a place of refuge and safety.

Pushing himself upright, he searches for someone who looks somewhat in charge of everything. He spots Shiori Asahi, who looks like he has some idea of what's going on. Shiori spots him a few metres away, turning away from someone in a police uniform. "Uchiha-san!"

"Shiori-san," Toru replies, "I'm glad to see you're fine."

"And you, as well," Shiori says. "I take it you want a summary of what's happening?"

"If you could," Toru says, "but if you have something more pressing to get to, just point me in the right direction."

Shiori checks on everyone around him before shaking his head. "We appear to be doing alright around here. Besides, Ren has everything more or less covered now. I was just checking on the smaller problems that she doesn't need to worry about for now.

"Alright, so, when the alarms went off, Tsuyoshi-san spoke to all of us about leaving the prison and doing search-and-rescue and what not. No one said anything against it, so we headed off. Someone sent a message to the station down here, and we combined forces. The prison out there, though," he continues, flicking a hand over his shoulder to indicate the rest of Konoha, "is in ruins. We don't know when that happened, but there was no one inside of it at the time as far as we can tell. The prisoners decided early on to either try to get to designated civilian safe points or to join search-and-rescue with the training dogs. Most of them are doing rounds continuing with search-and-rescue or alerting people to the fact that there's a medical area we've got going over here. More than a few - prisoners and police that is – are resting now, since we're getting closer to morning and further from yesterday's afternoon. Most of the people here are opening their homes to people in need as well, handing out supplies and all that. We've got a rotating staff, pretty much."

"Sounds like you're all doing extremely well," Toru says. "Dip into the police funds if needed, I'll have the Uchiha Clan donate to make up the costs. If anyone's setting up a relief fund, see if we can raise some support for that... Everyone's alright though?"

Shiori smiles, friendly, despite the stress clear in his body language. "Everyone here, and those nearby, managed to escape all the fighting by keeping to the back of the compound."

"I'm glad," Toru says, and he is – in a bone-deep way that is somehow more than he can articulate.

* * *

The street kids find him before he finds them, Tomoe at their head. There's something sure in their movements, and rather than approaching them, he pauses, considering. "Ryuu," Tomoe says, tilting her head, and she's come so far, he can see that, and he can't help but be proud. "Glad to see you're still alive."

"I'm thankful I can say the same," he replies, checking over the others in her group. She's got Hikaru, Kira, and Rena at her back. They all look exhausted, tired in a way that Toru completely understands, but unharmed, uninjured as well. "Can I help with anything at all?"

"You've done enough for us, Ryuu," Tomoe replies, humour coating her words despite everything. "You've given us all we need. We can handle everything from 'ere on out. An' we got everyone covered as well. But..." Toru waits, patient, and guesses this is something important for Tomoe and hard for her to ask. "Say we're done with the streets, you got anything for us?"

_(If they wanted, he'd take them all, and he wants to say that. He wants to tell them how he'd pick every single kid off of the streets, everyone else as well, he'd take them somewhere safe and away from harm if he could. But their choices matter, just like they matter, and so he will do nothing but wait and watch and hope they ask.)_

"Give me a month or two," Toru says, plans flickering to life in the back of his head, (and they have always been there, just waiting, adjusting with every day he spends in Konoha), "and then... I'll get out a message and you'll be able to follow us somewhere safe."

Tomoe grins, sharp, because she's had to be sharp for years now. "We'll be waiting," she says, and then, along with her gang, she heads down a dark alley. Toru watches the group go, and he thinks they'll be safe. He thinks that they've all gotten out of this alive and done well. He thinks that there could be an ending that's much worse, and he's glad that this isn't it.

_(But at the same time, he's seething mad because Uzushio fell against Kirigakure, but Konoha failed to fall against the combined might of Sunagakure and Otogakure – and it's not fair, and maybe he shouldn't compare the two, but why did Uzushio have to fall? He's accepted it, but that doesn't mean he has to appreciate this or consider it positively, because Uzushio fell and so did his people, and Konoha withstood worse and survived, and he hates that fact as much as he loves it.)_

_(He hates this, because he shouldn't feel this way, but there's a bundle of thorns digging into his heart, curling around his heart and twisting its vines through his ribs. He shouldn't despise Konoha for surviving the attack, but he can't help but feel this way. Uzushio had survived so much and had fallen to one village, and despite all the factors there, Konoha hadn't helped them. And maybe that's not Konoha's fault, but something within him is dark and awful and hurting, even as it grieves and mourns as it has for years.)_

* * *

Iruka knocks politely on the door but enters before Koharu can actually invite him in. He knows perfectly well how the old kunoichi works, and she's told him multiple times that he doesn't really need to knock, but he continues to do so regardless. He's got a clipboard in one hand, a folder in his other, which he places down on the Sandaime's desk, in one of the larger piles containing paperwork that doesn't necessarily need to be done any time soon and isn't of a critical nature. "I've got those reports you wanted," he says, directing his attention to Koharu.

Raising an eyebrow, she gestures for him to start. After glancing down at his short dot points, he begins "There were no genin deaths, although there have been some serious injuries. Current statistics place a total of nine genins being forcefully retired from active service, with a further twenty-five having received medical aid of some kind recently. There was a total of thirty-four chūnin deaths, though, with a further forty-six injured. Ten of those will be forced to retire from active service. Only sixteen jōnon died, but thirty-three have ended up in hospital with injuries, but all of them should be able to return to active service.

"ANBU took the worst of the damage, since they were the first responders, more or less, and took the hardest objectives, which included bringing down the barrier trapping the faux Kazekage and Hokage, and attempting to restrain the Ichibi before he had rampaged out of Konoha. Plus, they acted as guards for the nobles as well. A total of ninety-seven ANBU have been reported dead. Fifty-four will be required to retire from ANBU service, and a further eighty-seven have been injured, but they are expected to be able to return to active service."

"And civilians?" Koharu asks.

"Within Konoha, five-hundred-and-sixty-seven have been reported dead due to incidents from damage, enemy actions, and so forth, with a further six-hundred-and-twenty-nine injured. Outside of Konoha, there hasn't been as much damage, with only twenty-three deaths and forty-six people injured," Iruka concludes, flipping the page over.

"Many of the Sungakure ninjas have been imprisoned and our forces are waiting on orders in relation to our plans, whether we attempt to retrieve information or negotiate with Sunagakure. However, the ten Oto-nins who were captured committed suicide early on, and so we have no leads there."

Koharu nods, and readily takes the pages that Iruka hands her. "Do you have any reports on the damage to Konoha?"

"Yes," Iruka says. "Due to summons, there's been serious damage done to farmland outside of Konoha. We're probably about to become more dependent on the trade of fruit and vegetables whilst the land recovers and farmers are able to sell their plants again. The damage to Konoha is... better than I was expecting, in all honesty, but still not great. Of the buildings that have been damaged, some have been considered unliveable and completely ruined, while others should be liveable once repairs have been completed. Because of the guests brought in by the exams, many of the rented rooms have been taken by visiting ninjas and civilians, leaving our people on the streets. Thankfully, many people are opening their homes, including the Uchiha Clan Compound, which contains about a third of those left without a place to go."

"Very well," Koharu says. "We cannot do much about what has happened, only make plans to improve. What's our building plans looking like?"

"With our current contractors, we're looking at months of building, minimum," comes the quick explanation. Iruka hands another piece of paper to Koharu, containing estimates of building that needs to be done. Current evaluations have recommendations that certain areas of buildings be demolished and completely redone, with architects providing better plans. Iruka isn't quite sure where they're going to have the builders and architects come from, since two of their main architects had died in the attack, and many of the builders are civilians, and so won't be able to help straight away.

Koharu hums, "Any missions dealing with those in debt to us relating to builders or architects?"

Iruka prompts his memory into working, considering his own missions and the mission reports he's received recently when working at one of the desks. "Perhaps," he says slowly. "I believe there was one. I'll send someone to check and get back to you."

"Dismissed then," Koharu says. "And get yourself some rest Iruka-san, you're no used to anyone falling asleep while you stand."

Iruka smiles, because he's running on little sleep but this is nothing compared to past experiences. "I'll leave the office when you do," he counters, because they have a lot of work to get done, and sleeping can wait. With that said, he takes his leave.

* * *

Gaara is not sure what to make of Konoha. At first, he had been irritated by it. The air is too wet, the environment much muggier than he'd been led to expect. There is little sun, and the sun that appears through the leaves felt distant.

Konoha is nothing like Suna, but at least Gaara had known that coming here. The people though – they are very strange. When walking down the street, they press against him, allowing him to be lost in the crowd. There's no space when he tries to walk, it's as if Konoha's people are not scared of him and- And Gaara _loves_ it. There's something about walking and not being stared at. The wariness and distrust that enshrouds Suna's people have disappeared here.

Although, that's probably all gone now that Gaara has tried to attack Konoha. Not that it worked, because it didn't. He failed, but... He can't quite bring himself to regret that. There's something about the people around here that makes him feel different to how he feels in Suna. He'd describe the feeling as 'safe', except he's never been safe and he certainly isn't safe in Konoha.

He's been on edge over the past day, ever since he'd been stopped by that one ANBU and that team of genins. They'd walked back with him too. The black-haired one had been wary, keeping his sharp eyes on Gaara, mouth downturned, and there had been a hardness to his eyes, something fractioned or serrated – Gaara knew that kind of look. The pink-haired one had also been wary, face pale, fingers wrapped tightly around weapons with white knuckles, and Gaara understood that. The blonde one had been strange, tired but not bothering to keep his distance from Gaara, stepping close and stepping away just as easily – as he dictated, not caring for Gaara's own feelings. He'd spoken too, at length, talking about Konoha, about his friends, about the people he lived with. He had spilled everything to Gaara and-

And before the three of them had left Gaara to Konoha's own guards, the blonde genin had whispered, quietly, strongly, "You're not the only one who houses a monster here." The words had circled in Gaara's head, and he hadn't been able to forget them, because it doesn't make sense but it makes so much sense.

The Konoha genin had kept up with him, transforming into the Kyūbi, but with his own chakra only. Although, some of the people around him had twisted away, distrust and wariness obvious in their stances and in their faces, and the blonde walked with space around him – which his teammates ignored. There had also been that one moment in their fight, where Okā-san – but the one who took him down said that it wasn't Okā-san – where the Ichibi had paused and screamed in his head. Maybe Gaara hadn't really been awake and in control, but he had felt things in that dark, empty place.

Pulling his legs to his chest, Gaara surveys his room once again – and it is a room. He doesn't understand that either. When he'd been handed over to a pair of ANBU, he'd known what was going to happen. In failing, he had signed his death, given up his life. Except, that hadn't happened. He hadn't even been treated like a prisoner!

Hence, Gaara doesn't know what to make of Konoha. It seems to exist on a separate plane of reality to Suna, and it is different. He thinks he likes it, but he isn't sure. He doesn't understand them, the way they lean against one another, easy and kind and soft. He doesn't understand why so many of them have aching hurts hidden away and smile so easily. They open themselves up to danger, show weakness, and expect themselves to remain safe. It's like- like they trust each other. Except people don't do that, and it makes no sense! How can you trust someone? People are just out to hurt you, to reach out with clawed hands and fangs, and attack because that's how you keep yourself safe. That's how you control others. If you're powerful, you show off that power and show your strength, prove that they should bow to your wishes.

Konoha doesn't seem to operate on that basis, and Gaara's not sure what to make of it. He's not sure what to make of the quiet in his head either, the complete and utter loneliness. He doesn't have to deal with the bitter, dark emotions that slam into him all the time, ever-changing and never constant, but he does have to deal with his own thoughts – and only his thoughts.

Gaara's starting to realise that there's something different about Konoha's ninjas. He can understand their civilians being strange – they clearly don't know better, _(not when Konoha's ninjas smile and laugh and easily brush shoulders with those around them),_ but the ninjas? They're odd, weird, but... Gaara's thinking that it might not be a bad thing here. Konoha's ninjas are odd, yes, but Gaara's feeling at peace despite everything that's happened to him, despite the strange silence in his head, despite the fact he's placed his life in Konoha's hands and hadn't expected anything but his own death to come from it.

Konoha lauds teamwork. Everyone knows this. Everyone laughs at this, but Konoha is dangerous. The world's probably just been reminded of this, and Gaara is starting to realise that teamwork doesn't mean liabilities or just having others to order about so that the mission is being completed here. It's something bigger, something weirder. Konoha's strength comes from their teamwork, and Gaara now knows what that means. It means that three genins can stand up against him and all of his power. It means that an exhausted ANBU is capable of taking him down and leaving themselves open to attack because they trust their teammates to watch their back.

He doesn't understand... But maybe in time he will.

Gaara swallows. All his thoughts, everything that's going on, he's comparing Suna to Konoha, Konoha to Suna, and... his village isn't the one that's coming out on top. In strength, Suna is apparently inferior to Konoha, but Gaara's starting to view Konoha above Suna in regards to everything. But the village is meant to be everything, Suna is meant to be the most important part of his life. The village above any one person. Konoha... Konoha shouldn't be meaning more, and Gaara's not even sure if he means Konoha the village, but Konoha's people – Konoha just means more, somehow.

It's weird and it's wrong, but it's what he thinks regardless.

The ANBU guards' chakras flicker and then disappear from Gaara's senses. Gaara glances around, wishing he had some weapon on hand because the gourd of sand nearby is useless since Gaara can't control it without the other chakra _(Okā-san? Ichibi? Whose chakra is it?)._ Before the ANBU members have been gone for a second, other chakras replace them. Familiar ones, this time, and Gaara stiffens.

The jackal-masked ANBU enters his room, chakra smooth and unruffled, _(and there is something kind about it, which Gaara doesn't understand because he doesn't get anything from chakra – he just senses where others are, how much they distrust him, the sharp spikes that represent fear and anger and hate, and here he just gets calmness, safety, something that feels like freedom and it makes no sense)._ "Hey Gaara-san," the ANBU greets, sitting cross-legged right by the door and encroaching any further into Gaara's space, _(but he doesn't think it's because the ANBU fears him, because this ANBU is more powerful than him, and so can control him)_. "I'm Jakkaru."

Gaara pauses. Is he meant to respond? How is he meant to respond? "Hello," he says, at long last, because greetings, manners, they're meant to be important. He wonders if Jakkaru is going to kill him. "Are you here to kill me?" He asks because he doesn't think it'll be too bad if this ANBU does it.

"No," Jakkaru answers instantaneously, chakra spiking, but it's different,_ (almost like it's not aimed at Gaara, but that can't be right)._ "I'm here because there's a seal on you that can't remain that way. Do you know what I speak of?"

Gaara nods, eager at last to be of service, to prove he can still be useful if he isn't allowed to kill to be helpful, _(that's what this ANBU had told him)._ "The thing that keeps the Ichibi within me and gives me the power over sand."

Jakkaru tilts his head and hums. "I'm not that knowledgeable in relation to the Ichibi, but it doesn't seem to be the Ichibi's chakra controlling the sand. Would you mind trying for me to move the sand? If you don't want to, that's fine. I have some questions that may need to be answered."

Gaara doesn't understand, but Jakkaru had given him an order to complete, and so he will do so. "Okay." He extends his arm, concentrating on the sand in the gourd. He remembers the way it feels, how the sand once felt like an extension of his will, the way it rises with a thought, with a word. Narrowing his eyes, he pulls it towards him, calling it to rise into the air, to lift, to-

The sand rises, seeming to leap out of the gourd, and rushes towards him. A hand gesture causes it to stop, and it moves, following his will, and Gaara starts to think that maybe this is his skill, that maybe this is something he can control without that other chakra interfering.

"There you go," Jakkaru says, and Gaara drops the sand, suddenly remembering the other shinobi is in the room. "Good job." When Jakkaru speaks he sounds like Baki-sensei – like a teacher, someone providing knowledge for no reason, _(and Gaara once didn't understand that such a thing could happen, but he'd thought Baki-sensei had been a miracle, a once-in-the-lifetime kind of person, and that no one ever taught just for the sake of teaching, but maybe he's wrong)_. Gaara doesn't respond, just ducks his head, and maybe that's enough.

"Do you remember what happened in our fight?" Jakkaru asks, attention seeming to sharpen.

Gaara nods. "You did something and stopped- stopped the Ichibi."

"I put down a seal," Jakkaru explains. "Can you tell me if anything has changed since that fight to you? Has your chakra felt different? Anything and everything might be important."

Gaara stiffens, "Why do you need to know this?" He snaps, before remembering that Jakkaru has proven his strength and Gaara isn't in any position to question him, shouldn't question him_, (it's dangerous to do so)._ However, before he can backtrack, Jakkaru answers.

"I'm trying to create a seal that will enable you to control the Ichibi rather than being influenced and partially controlled by the Ichibi," Jakkaru explains, (and Gaara doesn't understand, because Jakkaru doesn't have to explain just because he asked, but the ANBU does anyway). "But to do that I need to understand your current seal and how I can place a seal that will work with and around it. I need to understand what changes should be made and so forth. I'm willing to explain all of this to you if you want."

Gaara takes all this in, and considers the fact that maybe Jakkaru isn't out to hurt him, _(they don't control one another here, they have something like teammates, and maybe Gaara doesn't understand that... but maybe he's beginning to)._ "It's lonely," he says, before hastening to add, "in my head, that is. It's silent, there's nothing there except for me, even the... the Ichibi's emotions aren't there. I can't sense any of it either, it's just my chakra running through my veins."

The ANBU hums, chakra flaring just before a notebook appears in his hands. Gaara narrows his eyes but doesn't question it. "Do you know where your seal is?" Jakkaru asks.

Gaara nods. "My stomach," he says. "Do you need to see it?"

"if you don't mind," Jakkaru answers. Shrugging, Gaara lifts his shirt and channels his chakra. Almost immediately, Jakkaru curses, jerking as if to move. "That's... a mess of a seal," he says. "It's no wonder you've been dealing with the Ichibi so badly. There's no mental block preventing your minds from joining without any filters. It's a wonder you haven't released the Ichibi whilst asleep."

"I don't sleep," Gaara says with a frown, tugging his shirt back down. "I am not allowed to."

"Let's see if we can fix that," Jakkaru says, sketching in his notebook. "That seal is a mess that I don't particularly want to touch, but I can adjust it to be a containment kind of seal, then move the locking points elsewhere to ensure the movement of chakra and add a mental block here..."

Gaara isn't sure what Jakkaru means, but he thinks he trusts the ANBU, somewhat, but still, he wants to know. "What do you mean?"

Jakkaru glances up, and places his notebook down between them, allowing Gaara to see sketches of seals that mean nothing to him. "I'm going to change your seal and improve it," he begins with.

* * *

Finally pleased with his modified seal, Jakkaru starts sketching it on Gaara. The Suna-nin had fallen quiet an hour or so ago, leaving Jakkaru to his thoughts. He isn't sure what the redhead is thinking, but Jakkaru doesn't mind the quiet. It doesn't feel dangerous, _(he doesn't feel safe, but he doesn't feel like he's in any immediate danger; besides, his teammates are watching his back and he trusts them to keep him safe)._

Gaara's original seal is obvious in dark lines spilling from his stomach, right on his main tenketsu points where the chakra coils are meant to sit. It's a mess of a seal, and Jakkaru hates it on sight, and there's some slavery component twisted in it or something along those lines. Whatever it is, it has to do with the mind and control. Except, it's placed weirdly, caught between spokes and identifiers, so it's warped by itself and isn't impacting Gaara but the creature tied up by the seal. Jakkaru has to adjust what's already there to ensure that the seal works as it should, but he wants to make half of it void. Honestly, he's surprised Gaara isn't in constant pain from the mismatch areas of the seal and imbalance of it all. It should've blown up when it'd been placed, but something has overridden that. Jakkaru thinks that it's the tiny seal in the centre of it that has the intent of relying on strength of some kind, but he's not certain.

Regardless, he should be able to carefully tease out the problem areas of the seal with spokes, effectively negating their effects. After that, he can apply new locking points for the seals - the throat, the forehead, and the wrists. Two are key points of chakra, whilst the wrists ensure that the Ichibi's chakra can travel through Gaara's chakra pathways. He'll have to connect them with adjoining links – that will need to be hidden for the most part – to the main seal. After the new locking points, he needs to incorporate a mental filter and block seal into the preexisting seal and an integration seal. He's planning to add some seals for protection along the adjoining links as well.

Over an hour later, he pulls back, checking over the dark ink on Gaara. It looks like what he wants and with any luck, it'll work perfectly, but he can't check it, _(although that's often the nature of seals - they can't be checked and you're left hoping that they'll work how you want them to)._

"Are you ready, Gaara-san?" Jakkaru asks, glancing at the Suna-nin.

The genin nods. "You're going to take off the seal you placed down earlier, right?"

"Yes," Jakkaru says. "So, you're going to have to deal with the Ichibi before I start activating this new seal. You'll feel pain as it gets laid down, that's unavoidable I'm afraid. I'm going to need your help to place the seal down as well. You're going to have to channel chakra and place it in this point of the seal," he taps Gaara's throat, "while I'll be channelling chakra to your wrists, and then your forehead. You can't allow the Ichibi's chakra to interfere with this, though. That could be problematic."

"Okay," Gaara says, placing one hand where Jakkaru had indicated. Jakkaru inhales quietly and removes the seal he had placed down a few days ago. Instantly, Gaara grits his teeth, eyes widening, but the pair of them move quickly. Jakkaru places his hands around Gaara's wrists and sends his chakra along inked lines. The Suna-nin groans, facial features tightening in pain, but he does as Jakkaru had asked.

Black lines darken along Gaara's skin, growing and crawling further than Jakkaru had actually drawn them, but he had expected that, _(as much as you can predict anything to go to plan with seals)_. Letting go of Gaara's wrists, he channels chakra to the spot on Gaara's forehead, tapping Gaara's hand so he removes it from his throat. Ten seconds later, he leans back.

"You alright there?" Jakkaru asks, taking note of his own decreased chakra levels. Gaara blinks slowly, lifting his arms and glancing at the thick black lines currently travelling up them. "They'll disappear soon enough," Jakkaru adds. "You won't see them even when you're channelling chakra."

"I'm... This is different to before," Gaara finally settles on. "The Ichibi is there, but distant? I'm not sure how to explain it."

"Is it better?" Jakkaru asks.

Gaara tilts his head and then nods. "I am in control of myself, and I think... I think that I can control the Ichibi as well."

Jakkaru rocks back on his heels and extends a hand to Gaara, who lets himself be pulled up. "You should be able to sleep now, if you wanted. I'd recommend meditating to see if you can speak to the Ichibi that way. The previous seal's impact has been lessened so the Ichibi may have a clearer mind. I'm not entirely sure."

"What happens now?" Gaara asks.

"We wait for Suna to respond to Konoha's messages," Jakkaru says, "and eventually you and your fellow ninjas will return home."

Gaara nods, and Jakkaru steps away, heading towards the door. "What if the seal stops working?" Gaara asks, and his voice is fearful, _(in a way it hadn't been before)._

"Get a message to me, and I'll come help out," Jakkaru decides, _(because if he can help, he will, that's who he is regardless of whether or not he's an ANBU)._

* * *

**Toru checks all that he feels the need to within Konoha. Meanwhile, Koharu does her best to deal with the damage done to Konoha, whilst Gaara wonders about his place in Konoha and attempts to understand this unknown village. And, at last, Jakkaru takes care of a dangerous jinchūriki's seal.**

* * *

_**The second-half of the previous chapter! You'll probably see some more of the effects of the attack in the next chapter, but I'll start turning my focus away from that and onto the next arc.**_

_**Don't think I'm going to have much to say about this chapter in all honesty, but let's check anyway.**_

_**In regards to Koharu picking Iruka as her assistant - it's because he's proven his capability within the Ninja Academy and has been known to have meetings with the Sandaime on occasion, especially before the Academy was overhauled. Also, he was one of the ones who attempted to bring up problems in the Academy and was ignored, so Koharu trusts him; as much as she can trust anyone as a ninja. There's also some other knowledge there, but Koharu doesn't know it and neither do you guys.**_

_**Writing Gaara... It was a challenge and also interesting. I don't know how well it all flows, but that's probably because whilst writing this part I've written/completed two university assignments during it. I've got a third that I should probably start tomorrow/this weekend. Of course, it's the 16th of May 2019 for me right now. I've got no idea what time this will be published - probably not for a while, knowing me. Anyway, I kept referring to my breakdown in chapter 6 of Ocean's Own in regards to Gaara's characterisation. It's been challenging, but I'll probably try my hand at writing him later to work on it again.**_

_**If you want to hear my thoughts on Jakkaru's created seal and-or Gaara's original seal, feel free to comment or whatever. This probably shouldn't have been written when it was, because I'm not feeling that awake anymore (tiredness for the win), so it isn't as sophisticated as it could be. Although, there was some research and quite a bit of thinking (my brain's a bit - a lot - dead currently) done when writing it. I think.**_

_**Anyway, that's all for this chapter. With any luck, the plot will start pushing forward for the next bit! I'm... excited and nervous.**_


	20. Cogitate

_** TigrezzTail I'm glad you liked it! I really enjoyed exploring the impact on everything and the Uchiha Compound was a joy to write, because people helping others is something I love so much. Gaara was interesting to write, and an interesting to read months later (i.e. now), and I think it was interesting how he thought about what was normal and his attempts to understand his position now. All the conflicting thoughts and past issues aren't explored in full, or very well I don't think, but I'd never written him before, so hopefully I didn't do too badly! But the confusion about what was normal in Suna to Konoha was something I tried to focus on (... I think). Primarily, Gaara deals with it by just assuming Konoha is just Like That and really really Weird compared to Suna. **_

* * *

Travel dust still clinging to his uniform, Kakashi sits down opposite his genins in their usual training ground. He's handed in his mission report – having completed it during one of his rest breaks on the way back – just under an hour ago, when he'd returned to Konoha. Still, he's managed to shake himself out of his mission mindset enough to hold the heavy conversation he needs to with his genins.

Frowning, Kakashi begins by saying "I'm sorry that we're having this conversation so late, but between missions and clean up, we've been rather pressed for time to meet up. Based on the fact you got your Sharingan, am I correct in assuming you had your first kill?"

Sasuke's eyes flicker over to his teammates and he dips his head in a nod, _(he doesn't remember much, to be honest – doesn't remember the blood and the deaths, but he can so easily recall his pounding heartbeat and his desperate fear for his friends and teammates and the relief he had felt when Jakkaru had arrived)_.

"What about you two?" Kakashi directs his question at Naruto and Sakura.

"I did," Sakura says softly, whilst Naruto shakes his head. She swallows. "I don't- I don't remember the moment or anything but it comes up in nightmares now. Is it bad that I don't feel awful about it Kakashi-sensei? Like- I want to _live_ and Konoha is- Konoha is-"

"They were your enemy and wanted to kill you," Kakashi says quietly, to Sakura, to all three of them. "You wanted to live and survive and you won that fight. You're ninjas and that does mean death. You're going to figure out your own ways of dealing with it – but remember that you are alive, and that's what matters here. It was you or them, and all of us will always be grateful that you came out on top."

Sasuke clicks his tongue, rests a hand in Takuma's fur, and says "Do the dreams go away?"

Kakashi hesitates, visibly, _(trusting them)_, "No, I can't say they do but they get lesser. You find other things to focus on."

"Other things to dream about," Sasuke says, voice barely above a whisper. Nonetheless, he meets Kakashi's single eye. "We'll live though."

"Indeed," Kakashi says, and he makes no attempt to disguise the pride in his voice. "Now, I was kind of expecting this talk to go for longer so we have some time before we need to be in the Hokage's office."

"Hokage's office?" Naruto repeats, eying Kakashi warily. "Some time? Is this a you-time or a rest-of-the-population kind of time?"

Kakashi rubs the back of his head and smiles. "I'm not sure what you're talking about my cute little genin!"

Just as Sakura's about to say something, Kiba rushes into the training ground, Shino and Akamaru easily keeping pace with him. "Team Kakashi needs to report to the Hokage's office in ten minutes," the other Konoha genin announces. "I've been sent to make sure you haven't been waylaid by someone else's lateness."

Kakashi scowls, but humour is written in the lines of his body. Immediately, his genins turn their annoyed gazes on him. "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura shouts.

"We need to go!" Naruto says, tugging his teammates. "Thanks Kiba! See you around Akamaru, Shino!"

The trio of genins and Takuma tore off, avoiding patches of construction and rubble. They manage to reach the reception with two minutes to spare, flying through an open window and sliding along wooden floorboards before standing up straight. Or, at least, Sakura manages to stop, grinning at beating the boys, only for them to both crash into her, sending all three of them to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"You may enter the Hokage's office," the receptionist says, glancing over their desk to see the three genins on the ground. Takuma barks and goes through the doorway, allowing Team Kakashi to follow with slightly chastised expressions.

Somehow, despite leaving Kakashi behind, their teacher has beat them to the office and is standing alongside Gai, Kurenai, and Asuma. There are other genins there as well, but not full teams, which has Sasuke frowning. Lee, Hinata, and Shikamaru meet his gaze easily, but both of the former off a shrug when Sasuke tilts his head in question. Shikamaru just smiles, slow and steady, easing the shadows and bags beneath his eyes.

Koharu stands up behind the Hokage's desk, surveying the group of jōnins and genins before her. "Sandaime-sama asked me to apologise on his behalf for not taking part in this ceremony himself, but I'm sure all of you understand why he cannot be here." She steps around her desk, and positions herself in front of Lee.

"Lee-kun, based on your performance in the Chūnin Exam, you have been promoted to chūnin. Congratulations," Koharu says. Lee nods, ducking his head, glancing sideways at his jōnin teacher, who beams at him.

"Thank you," he says quietly, stepping back.

Koharu smiles and takes a step to look at Hinata. "Hinata-chan, due to your performance during the attack on Konoha, you have been promoted to chūnin. This comes due to numerous recommendations. Congratulations and continue to make Konoha proud."

Hinata ducks her head, cheeks reddening, before lifting her head and meeting Koharu's eyes. "I will," she replies.

Koharu tilts her head and moves along, standing in front of Shikamaru. "Shikamaru-kun, you have been promoted to chūnin based on your performance in the Chūnin Exam and actions outside of it during Konoha's time of need. Congratulations."

Shikamaru nods, but doesn't say anything, and Koharu moves to stand in front of Sakura. "Sakura-chan, for your performance in the Chūnin Exam and actions in the attack, you have been promoted to chūnin. Congratulations."

Sakura grins, and barely refrains herself from nudging her teammates. "Thank you," she says, _(and she has come so far – this child of civilians with her pink hair and big eyes)_.

"Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, personally, I would have preferred to see you both fight another round in the Chūnin Exam before granting you the position of chūnin. However, you have proven your worth in actions outside of the battle and there are other factors surrounding both of you. Either way, congratulations on becoming chūnins."

Koharu returns to behind her desk, and the new chūnins straighten as she stares them down. "Your new status is immediately effective. Please report to the Chūnin Corps office for new gear and so you can update your paperwork as soon as you can. Shikamaru-kun, report to my office in an hour. Lee-kun, remain behind. Everyone else – dismissed!"

Once everyone has left the room, Koharu focusses on Lee. "You have been assigned an escort mission, C-rank, from Nami no Kuni to Konohagakure. You will have point for this mission, and your teammates will be Neji Hyūga, Ino Yamanaka, and Chōji Akimichi. Further details will be presented to you upon your arrival at the C-rank mission desk."

"Hai," Lee says, bowing, before leaving the room, understanding the dismissal.

Koharu sits down, staring down at her wrinkled hands. She hopes she isn't sending those ninjas to their deaths, hopes that every mission she signs away on doesn't lead to more causalities, but she can't do anything else but hope. It's all she has now.

_(They need a Hokage – and soon.) _

* * *

Jakkaru snarls, blocking a tantō strike from the black-clad ninja with a kunai that's quickly thrown at the other ninja coming at him from his right. He's quickly forced to duck under another attack, rolling forward to avoid the next attack; this one from behind. It's three on one currently, and he hates every second of it, _(but he loves the way his adrenaline roars and his blood sings and the rush of excitement as he dances on the edge of death and dares the world to knock him down)_. Unsheathing his katana, he parries the tantō, letting lightning chakra lance down his sword. The other ninja drops their tantō, shaking out their hand but not making a sound despite the pain that Jakkaru's certain he caused.

Still, the Konoha ANBU has no time to celebrate, as even with one ninja backing off, there's still two remaining. He blocks another weapon – something bladed but he's not sure what – and flips backward, kicking the third ninja's hand so that they drop their kunai.

However, by the time he's got his katana up and ready for another attack, all three of his opponents are ready and waiting. Narrowing his eyes, Jakkaru lets his eyes flicker sideways to where the window awaits as an easy method of escape. The ninjas keep themselves between the window and him though – which is infuriating, to say the least.

This mission was meant to be easy, as well. It was a simple in-and-out mission. Retrieve some object. Expect no guards or resistance. _Easy_.

There had been one object, but there had also been two guards that Jakkaru had to deal with before getting to the object. And then, upon retrieving it, there'd been a whole squad of ninjas after him. It hadn't been a trap; he could tell that much. They had been pretty surprised to spot him, so he's guessing that someone else is after the object that's now hidden away in his shoulder seals.

After a harrowing and blurred journey through Yo no Kuni through trees at a speed he wouldn't normally dare take when moving through the forest, Jakkaru had thought himself safe. Except, it turns out that somehow a squad of ninjas had been waiting near the border of Oto no Kuni and Yo no Kuni, close enough to the border of Hi no Kuni that Jakkaru didn't dare head towards Konoha for fear of bringing enemies back home.

Somehow, what should've been a day journey at most has turned into a hunt. Jakkaru's looped around various areas of Yo no Kuni, slipping into Shimo no Kuni to lose his pursuers. Despite this, they'd kept picking up his tracks and now he's exhausted so he can't simply outrun them. Not to mention that none of his gear currently is made to withstand the cold climate of Shimo no Kuni considering he hadn't meant to even go near the other country.

In the end, he'd decided to stage a stand in Oto no Kuni, having let his summons scout for a building that he could rig to blow up. It had allowed him a twenty-minute sleep that hadn't been restful and definitely hadn't been enough, but more than he'd gotten in the past few days.

Jakkaru cannot wait to return to Konoha and sleep – for at least seven hours, maybe even ten if he's lucky. Except, he has to meet up with his team in Hi no Kuni for another mission – it'll be his fourth this week, _(at least, he thinks it's only been a week; he's fairly certain it's only been nine days since Konoha was attacked – five since he left Konoha with an ANBU assassination mission, four since he'd ended up being given a mission with his teammates, three since he'd received his current mission and been given instructions to meet up with his teammates as soon as possible)_.

One of the enemy ninjas lunges, and Jakkaru is done with this mission, and with his enemies, and he honestly does not care for secrecy anymore. There are six explosion seals placed around and within the building. They are all linked to a secondary seal that Jakkaru placed outside that will activate the moment he puts chakra through it. He just has to get to it without the three ninjas following him.

He's really glad he's managed to cut down their numbers from ten to three, though. Ten might be too many for him to really defeat.

Jakkaru lashes out with a punch, catching the attacking ninja on the shoulder. He spins, snatching a kuani out of the air and throwing it back to its owner, blade leading. It lands, and the ninja stumbles backward, hand going to the kunai in their shoulder.

Pressing on the advantage, Jakkaru steps in close with the other ninja who he hadn't attacked yet, going through a combination of attacks extremely fast and allowing chakra to strengthen his blows. His palm slams into his enemy's chest and something cracks – loudly. Uncaring, Jakkaru turns, and sweeps his leg out, knocking the other ninja's legs out from beneath them.

With the five seconds of freedom he has, Jakkaru sprints out of the room, slamming through the glass window without caring. He lands, just beside his seal, and immediately channels chakra into it. The building explodes in a burst of fire and sound.

Jakkaru grins, surveying the damage, and then heads off once again. He might need rest and recovery and isn't running at his top speed, but he's fairly certain he can cut through Oto no Kuni to reach the meeting spot with his team. Then he can rest, and get on with the next mission.

* * *

A Sunagakure jōnin shows the trio of Konoha ninjas to the ambassador quarters. Shikamaru follows behind the group, taking note of everything in his peripheral vision. He's slightly surprised at being put on a mission that's as vitally important as this one, and he's not just hear for political reasons either.

Dōtō Akimichi, jōnin and current mission leader, had said early on that he was in charge of making the alliance, but if they had any suggestions or recommendations to share them. The jōnin is rather influential, even if he's not one of Konoha's biggest names. He's strong, that much is clear.

Then there's Jirou Kagae, chūnin. However, Shikamaru would place a bet that Kagae-san is actually an ANBU, but he can't pick up any signs of it. Still, he has suspicions and he's fairly certain that Konoha wouldn't send two chūnins on a mission when there's a village alliance on the line.

Shikamaru is here for a reason. And maybe that reason is partially political and also because this entire thing is a test – a test that Shikamaru will pass. He's not the strongest of his age-mates, and he's aware of that, _(how can he not be aware of that when there's people like Naruto within his cohort?)_, just as he's aware that despite being smart, there's always going to be someone better out there.

These are facts of life, and Shikamaru can easily admit them with a shrug. They're not that important. The important thing here is that he has a mission and he can start carving a name out for himself, start making himself important. He's gotten himself noticed – but there's a long way to go still.

_(There are eyes on him because is the Heir for the Clan Head of the Nara Clan, but that isn't what Shikamaru wants to be known for. He's proud of his clan and he loves them, but he doesn't want to be known just because of the Nara Clan.) _

Akimichi-san has given both Kagae-san and him a rundown of the situation. Sunagakure is scrambling. They've lost their Kage and their jinchūriki, not to mention the numerous ninjas that Konoha has locked up. Plus, Konoha has political strength here and also battle strength. They have the advantage and can easily declare war on Sunagakure – and Sunagakure wouldn't survive such a thing. Konoha's already made it difficult for Sunagakure to get missions and their economy is pretty useless. It'd be very easy for Konoha to ruin Sunagakure further – both covertly and overtly.

But, Konoha doesn't want to do that. They're the "friendly" village, and it'll be better if Sunagakure owes them. So, they're going to play around with trade agreements for the most part. Receive more trade from Sunagakure and increase the tax levied on trade goods. There are a few other ideas that Akimichi-san had brought up, but Shikamaru doubts they'll work – but that's the whole point of them. The only nonnegotiable factor here, which has been made abundantly clear by Akimichi-san, is that Gaara's seal cannot be changed after it had been fixed by Konoha.

However, the trio of Konoha ninjas don't get much time to themselves after being shown their room. Almost an hour later, they're taken to the Sunagakure council. Shikamaru reminds himself to stay calm and trails a half-pace behind his mission leader, keeping an eye for danger and trying to spot the DUNE – Sunagakure ANBU – who would definitely be shadowing them. He can't see any, but he can make guesses to where they would be positioned.

There are eight people in the room, sitting around an oval tower – the Sunagakure Council, Shikamaru assumes. The vast majority of them appeared to be in their forties to fifties, with only one looking near the Sandaime's age and another looking like he's in his mid-twenties.

Shikamaru lets himself drift into the background, a shadow to Akimichi-san as he lays out Konoha's terms and argues for various issues. It goes fairly smoothly at first, Sunagakure agreeing to increased taxes levied on trade from Sunagakure to Konoha, with Konoha receiving more trade including medical herbs, desert plants, metal ore – such as iron and aluminium, and mineral salts like sodium chloride and sodium nitrate. Somehow, Akimichi-san manages to have Sunagakure agree to allowing Konoha-nin to enter Kaze no Kuni to track missing-nin when accompanied by a Suna-nin. It's amazing to watch and listen to, and Shikamaru takes notes in his head.

The problem starts when the leader of the council – Ebizō – mentions the jinchūriki of the Ichibi, Gaara. Shikamaru honestly forgets the whole fear of seals that most ninjas have, because he's grown used to it having interacted with Toru and since he's friends with Naruto and Sasuke. Not to mention, he's never lived in a period where Uzushio was around – he doesn't know much more about Uzushio aside from the bare basics.

"How do we know that Konohagakure hasn't interfered with the seal so that the Ichibi is unleashed the moment the jinchūriki returns to Suna?" Ebizō asks, leaning forward.

"According to our seal master, the current seal enabled the release of the Ichibi already. The jinchūriki reported that this has happened on numerous occasions, so what is there to lose?" Akimichi-san retorts, and Shikamaru has to hide a wince, because Akimichi-san had been doing so well so far, but now he's probably blown it.

Good thing is that Akimichi-san isn't the only one on this mission, and so Shikamaru smoothly steps forward and meets Ebizō's gaze evenly. "Your alternative option is letting the jinchūriki remain in Konoha."

_(The only thing worse than having the Ichibi unleashed in Sunagakure, Shikamaru assumes, is Konoha having two jinchūrikis.)_

"But," he continues, glancing sideways at Akimichi-san, who nods at him to go on, "if you are still unsure, perhaps an ambassador program should be put in place? Say, a swap of a ninja from each village for a week every two months? Or something along those lines?"

Ebizō leans back, clearly considering the idea. "Perhaps," he says, "perhaps. For now, though, we shall disband for the night and continue our discussion tomorrow."

The three Konoha-nins nod and leave, _(and Shikamaru thinks that they'll come out of this better than they came into this)_.

* * *

Gaara is not one for grand gestures, lavish words. He does not waste his words, and has – for the most part – avoided speaking, _(because you never know who will speak with his lips)_, for much of his life. Still, there's something he thinks leaving Konoha, leaving Hi no Kuni deservers some sort of grandiose action or word. But, that is not the kind of person he is.

But if he was, maybe he would say something about souls and lifetimes or maybe stars and skies, or maybe nothing at all and maybe his silence would speak for him.

Regardless, he isn't the kind of person to pretend to be anyone except who he is. That much Gaara is certain of, _(even if he isn't certain of much else – even if he isn't sure of who he is and the line that has been drawn now between the Ichibi and him)_.

Hi no Kuni doesn't end abruptly with the thick forest meeting the desert. It ends slowly, the number of trees decreasing, the sky opening up, sun bearing down heavy on them. It feels like it should be an abrupt end.

The desert begins to stretch ahead of them, and Gaara feels the dryness of his throat already, the rasp of arid air, the sun warning of a scorching temperatures. It feels like something, _(it doesn't feel like home, but he's meant to make it home, and he hopes it will be home, one day)_.

Caught between breaths, between the inhale and the exhale; stuck in the space between moments; frozen in a liminal time – perhaps that is what Gaara is right now. Torn between what was and what could be, made immovable by what is.

Pausing, on the border, of two countries – one that has changed him, _(and perhaps made him better)_, and one that has made him,_ (that has hated him)_. His people move onward, without waiting, without hesitating, without him, _(and yet they are his people). _He isn't making a choice here, isn't deciding anything, yet he can't help but feel he's on the precipice of something looking down and considering taking that next step, _(and yet, looking back not with regret but maybe something else, something other)_.

The Konoha ninjas escorting them continue forward, keeping with the majority of the Suna-nins, obvious now amongst the light-coloured sand as opposed to the darker colours of the trees. One ninja, though, does land next to Gaara, chakra flickering.

It's a chakra that Gaara has been observing, keeping in the corner of his mind, an awareness he can't seem to let go. It's not worry or fear or any such thing. It's something that he cannot name, _(not yet)_. The ninja has managed to avoid Gaara's attention on occasion, chakra disappearing amongst the rest of the world, indistinguishable.

The jackal-masked ninja doesn't say anything, just tilts his head, _(but Gaara, never one for words or gestures, has learnt to speak in body language – it's not the same, for they are different people, but the meaning behind it all is still there, is still clear, and he understands)_.

Beside Gaara, the sand swirls, chakra clinging to the single grains – and there is a world within a world out there, and he feels as if he could reach out and take hold of it all, even though he knows it is too much for him to control currently.

It will be easier, out here, to see the flinches of those who live in the same village as he does; easier to see the space they give to him, the way they keep themselves out of reach; easier to see the fear in their bodies, in their eyes. It will be easier, _(his life has never been easy)_ to see a lot of things.

He hadn't gotten used to Konoha's strangeness, the weird way their ninjas operated, the teamwork they praised and showed, weaknesses that they gave up willingly, and remained strong regardless. But, Konoha had been kind, _(he doesn't know what that means)_. He had appreciated that – and he doesn't quite want to go back to Suna's hatred, their distrust, even though he loves the sand, the quiet sunrises, the soft sunsets, the wind that howls and screams and welcomes him when nothing else does.

"The only monsters that exist are the ones we create ourselves," the Konoha ANBU says, words soft, taunting. They're not cruel, not hard, and they could mean nothing to Gaara if he desired it to be so.

_(The only monsters that exist are the ones we create ourselves, the ANBU told him. And Gaara – he thinks he knows what this means. It means a choice. It means a change. It means whatever he wishes it too. He wants it to mean that he is more than the Ichibi, that he can be more, that he can be different to what they expect. He is still who he has always been, anger and blood-red hair, steel twisting around his bones, chakra-laced sand and deadly in numerous ways.) _

_(The only monsters that exist are the ones we create ourselves, Jakkaru said, and considers the way he has become a monster, considers the way he says Uzushio like a benediction, like a prayer, like it lacks darkness. Uzushio had been a monster to some. Jakkaru remains a monster to many.) _

_(But monsters – that don't have to be evil. They just get to be strong and so others fear them. Monsters aren't necessarily cruel or out to hurt others. Jakkaru knows this well.) _

_(Gaara will learn, but it will take time, of this he is sure.) _

_(In the end, they are all monsters.) _

* * *

For all that Koharu isn't exactly happy with the decision the council came to, it's not like there's anyone else who can take up the Hokage position. And it can't be just anyone either – they need to announce their strength to the world, remind them of what Konoha is capable of, remind the world of their bloodline, _(remind the world of those who shaped it – because that's what happened, Konoha's founders shaped the world)_.

Still, there's a chance Tsunade Senju, _(the last Senju, sannin, medical legend)_, will refuse to position, and that they'll have to figure out who else can take the seat, but Koharu has a feeling it won't come to that, _(and she knows to trust her feelings)_. More to the point, with Hiruzen at last taking a strong stance and providing an ultimatum – return to Konoha or be labelled missing-nin – it's unlikely Tsunade will refuse. Not when Koharu will refuse to let the sannin continue to wander as a missing-nin. No, then the ANBU will be sent after her, _(Tsunade is a front-line fighter, but Konoha has many, many who hide in the shadows with steel and silence)_.

Koharu hates that it has come down to this, because Tsunade abandoned Konoha, _(and should have been labelled a missing-nin then, but Hiruzen has – at times – always been too soft)_, and refused to aid her.

Nonetheless, Koharu has been orded by her Hokage, and so she will in turn order Tsunade to return as Godaime. There will be ninjas who hate Tsunade when she comes back, but she is still a legend and she is still Konoha's – and they are grateful for her reputation which heralds Konoha's power.

Jiraiya enters the room, meeting her gaze questioningly. She remembers him as a boy, a genin, a chūnin, a jōnin. She remembers battles and wars and she has the scars to prove it. But to him, she is something better left in the past, left to the past. This is her power right now – given by their Sandaime, and he will respect her for that and that alone.

"Sandaime-sama has ordered for Tsunade Senju to be retrieved and offered the position of Godaime," Koharu says, staring down at Jiraiya, "she is to return to Konoha. If she does not, Sandaime-sama has ordered her to be labelled a missing-nin."

Koharu had been expecting a protest of some kind, but Jiraiya simply tilts his head, _(he has spoken to Hiruzen and while he doesn't understand, he has his orders and he must obey)_. "Very well." He visibly hesitates, and Koharu waits. "May I take Naruto Uzumaki with me?"

Koharu frowns, but she doesn't see any reason for Jiraiya not to take the genin, jinchūriki or not. There's been no rumours or any threats about the Uzumaki despite his role in the defeat of Sunagakure's jinchūriki, _(but they're trying to keep that under wraps anyway)_. Besides, the Sunagakure escorting force returned yesterday, so it's not as if they lack the manpower or need the genin to remain in-village.

"You may," she decides at last, "but as long as his guardian agrees."

_(And she cannot guess if Toru will or if he won't, but she won't be surprised if he allows it. Despite everything, Toru is young and will most likely not consider himself – in any way – on par with a sannin.) _

_(Besides, if Koharu knows anything about Toru Uchiha, it is that he will do anything for his kids – and Naruto is definitely his; and that would include letting them get teaching from one of ninjas that's currently known as Konoha's strongest.) _

* * *

Sasuke glances at the sun before huffing. He's been waiting for Kakashi-sensei to arrive for almost two hours now. Beside him, his ninken whines, lowering himself onto the ground to lie down.

"I don't like it either," Sasuke confirms. "Kakashi-sensei hasn't been this late for a while." He looks around again, as if that'll make Kakashi-sensei appear – which, for all he knows, might actually work. His teacher enjoys seeming to appear from nothing in an effort to surprise them – something about stealth and special awareness, _(which doesn't work when one's a jōnin and one's a genin; although, he's technically a chūnin now, so maybe it does work)_.

Naruto's off travelling with some important ninja – Jiraiyu or maybe Jaraiyu, he's not sure. One of the sannins, Sakura had said something about being a spymaster? The point had been that Naruto is safe off with someone strong. Meanwhile, Sakura's helping out at the hospital, doing all she can. It leaves Sasuke at loose ends, picking up D-rank missions to help out, and training, checking on everyone when he gets the chance, _(and they are all so busy)_.

Just as he's considering sending Takuma off to search for Kakashi-sensei, a jōnin blurred into existence in front of him. They're familiar, vaguely, a friend of his sensei, Sasuke thinks, but he isn't sure.

"Uchiha-san, Kakashi's in the hospital currently so he won't be able to make your training session," the jōnin says.

_(Sasuke's heart freezes and all he can think is about that moment he woke up to blank walls and a blank head and nothing but hurt because Itachi had done this to him and-) _

"What room?" Sasuke says, only just managing to make his words short of a demand.

"203," the jōnin answers.

Nodding jerkily, Sasuke thanks the jōnin before sprinting towards the hospital, Takuma at his side. There's a half-thought forming in the back of his mind,_ (Sakura's asleep at home and she needs to-)_ but he forgets it as he takes to the roof tops. He manages to get to the second floor of the hospital easily enough, due to an open window.

Thankfully, he lands near room 210, so he only has to head down the corridor to reach Kakashi-sensei's room. The door's already open, and he reaches it just in time to hear someone else speak.

"Itachi was here? In Konoha?"

"And Kisame Hoshigaki from Kirigakure as well," someone responds. "It's surprising that no one was killed."

"Only hospitalised and in a coma," the first voice replies grimly, and Sasuke swallows. "The pair were after Naruto Uzumaki apparently."

_(His teammate-!)_

_(Naruto is his teammate and he's in danger. They are looking for his teammate and Naruto doesn't know. Sasuke has to tell him!) _

Sasuke runs, a quick order to Takuma to remain in Konohagakure, and then he runs. Naruto hasn't been on the road for too long, so he's fairly certain he can catch them quickly. Itachi is out there and this isn't about revenge or any such thing – but his teammate, in danger, without the rest of his team.

Sasuke can do something about that, and so he will.

* * *

**With the end of the Chūnin Exam comes a whole host of changes – including chūnin promotions. However, life within Konoha is very busy and the ninjas are hard at work on various missions. Sunagakure recreates their alliance with Konoha, and their people finally return home. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Naruto go in search of the new Godaime – Tsunade Senju.**

* * *

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**_

**_We're heading towards the final arc for this book! It's also like... 202 words of plot that I kinda need to extend into one or two chapters to be honest. It'll be tough, but let's hope it works! _**

**_The conversation about the first kill was difficult to write. Because I wasn't sure how to write it. The characters have such a different mentality about killing and how to deal with it and like words aren't gonna make it all better - you get me? So yeah, anyway, it was difficult, I'm not sure how it worked out but whatever, it's done at the very least. _**

**_We do, though, get to see the promotions for the chunins! I hope you like who got promoted, because it was somewhat difficult to figure out who I should promote vs who I shouldn't promote and why. Also, Sasuke and Naruto's promotion was largely due to political reasoning, which Koharu hints at. I'm still struggling with the characterisation of all "Konoha 12", simply because that's twelve characters and I have to have characterisation for all of them that isn't jumping around everyone. I don't know whether it's working or not or if the characters are everywhere. I'm suspecting the latter, but I'm hoping it's the former. _**

**_You get to see Jakkaru on a mission! It was meant to show his strength but also the exhaustion and multiple missions the Konoha ninjas are dealing with - especially those in high positions. _**

**_Shikamaru being involved in the creation of the alliance between Suna and Konoha comes back to his dream, and also his distaste for killing - he understands that you have to do it, but he doesn't really enjoy it. Funnily enough, he's probably got the most morals/ethics that is like ours in relation to killing. _**

**_Gaara... is difficult, to say the least. He's in the middle of changing who he was and reaching a new mindset. Plus, his thoughts and feelings on Konoha and Suna are difficult to understand and to write, I find. But that could also be me trying to avoid changing him too much to be unreasonable, and changing him enough that he is changing. I don't quite like how that part ended, but... I had to go, so it's been left how it is. _**

**_Koharu's thoughts on Tsunade are pretty reminiscent of quite a few ninjas.I think it might have been mentioned in passing a few times? How they abandoned Konoha and left Konoha and everyone else has to deal with the ramifications of that? Anyway, yeah. Not much to say, but you are seeing the start of the 'Search for Tsunade' arc. _**

**_ Sasuke is being very dumb here! I haven't got much more to say! I'm not sure whether it fits in with his characterisation so far, but it's a lapse in judgement. So, yeah. _**


	21. Changes

Toru crashes in his team's ANBU room after returning from his mission – two missions, to be exact, that took up three days and only two of them had been spent with his teammates.

He wakes up quickly, some part of him certain that something isn't right, _(careful, careful, careful)_. Glancing around, nothing appears to have changed and his teammates are still sleeping nearby, _(be wary, be wary, be wary)._

Shrugging to himself, Toru stands up, stretching sore muscles. Both his teammates shift, Sora even opening up one eye to glance at him. "I'm going to head home," he says in answer to her unasked question. Souma hums in acknowledgement and Sora closes her eye once again; they both quickly return to sleep.

He takes the rooftops, leaping from one to the next with practiced ease. The noise of construction is still loud, but Konoha appears in a better state than when Toru had left last, _(it's getting better with every mission)_. Landing on the balcony, Toru lets himself into the apartment, unlocking the door with chakra. The moment he steps foot in the apartment, two dogs appear at his side – Takumi and Takuma. Takuma whines, causing Toru to frown. He crouches down beside them.

He doesn't understand Takuma as well as Sasuke does, but he has a pretty good understanding of the wolfdog's language regardless. "Where's Sasuke?" Toru asks, glancing at the apartment and noting the lack of clutter.

Takuma whines, ears lowering and tail curling, and Toru's heart starts pounding. Takuma wouldn't be here if Sasuke had been taken, though, so that means that Sasuke left for some reason and didn't want Takuma to come. "How long – days?" Toru says, _(tension rises in his throat)_.

Takuma barks twice – two days then. That's… not good. Rather than putting clothes in the laundry as he had been planning to, Toru ducks into his room and grabs a clean set of clothes and replaces dull weapons with sharp ones. He's about to leave when someone knocks on the door. Frowning, _(and hoping that it's Sasuke)_, Toru opens the door to see Sakura.

"Toru-san, have you seen Sasuke?" Sakura blurts, not even waiting to exchange greetings.

Toru swallows, and shakes his head. "I was going to ask the same of you," he replies. "Have you seen him in the past three days? Takuma is here, but he isn't."

"Yeah, I know," Sakura admits. "I've been coming around and letting the dogs out, but Takuma always returns here and Takumi goes with him. But… three days ago Kakashi-sensei was hospitalised for getting injured in a fight."

Toru looks at Takuma, whose lips are curled in a silent snarl. He doesn't want to ask, _(he has suspicions, thoughts that plague him, worst worries and understanding realisations)_. "Do we know who did it?"

"No one's saying anything," Sakura says. Toru waits her out, aware that Sakura isn't just stating facts, but telling him what she knows. "But his vitals are all pretty much prefect for an active ninja, yet he's in a coma – and it's not a medically induced one either. There's no real reason why he should be remaining in a coma. The fact that no one's actively trying to help him means that it's something specialised and dangerous and no one has the skills needed."

Sakura's leading up to something, Toru can see it, but he waits anyway, restless in a way he can't describe, _(because he can't do anything for Kakashi no matter how much he wants to)_.

"What's most damning is the fact his chakra is behaving like it's under a genjutsu and it's concentrated around his brain," Sakura says, rushing her words. "I had Hinata check."

Toru consciously removes the tension from his shoulders and controls his breathing. It sounds like something he has heard in old stories, whispers and rumours woven in books on the Uchiha Clan and documented journals on the Sharingan. There's something catching in his throat, tearing on his heart, a whisper trailing around his mind that he can't quite voice yet.

"Right," he says, glad his voice doesn't waver or tremble because he can see Sakura has come to the same assumption he has. "I'm going to head to the Hokage's office and you're not to do anything dangerous, yes?"

Sakura nods, _(and he trusts her to keep to her word)_. "You've done well Sakura, thank you for bringing this to my attention." Sakura smiles; it wavers, _(he doesn't mention it). _

Takuma and Takumi slink out the door before Toru shuts it, but they don't follow him, understanding that this isn't something either of them are ready for. They stick by Sakura, offering comfort and doing the only thing they can do.

Swallowing, Toru leaves them behind and takes to the rooftops. He moves faster than he normally allows himself to, knowing that this is time sensitive _(and Sasuke is in danger because Itachi doesn't know his cover has been blown for years)_. Koharu glances up at him as he lands just outside the window of the office and nods for him to come in.

"Sasuke's been missing for three days," Toru reports. "I believe he's going after Itachi since Itachi attacked Kakashi – and he wants to bring his brother home."

Koharu narrows her eyes, but she knows about the truth of the massacre. "Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki are believed to be going after Naruto Uzumaki," she says calmly. Toru- Toru just breathes, _(in; out; calm yourself and prepare, you can do nothing now but you have to be in control of yourself, Toru-kun)_.

Koharu nods at him, and Toru tilts his head, waiting for the next orders that are bound to come. "The pair attacked Kakashi Hatake – who was the only one hospitalised – and a few other jōnins upon infiltrating Konoha in order to find Uzumaki. Upon learning that Uzumaki is no longer in Konoha, the pair left, presumably to track down Uzumaki who is on his way to Tanzaku-gai."

Toru hasn't ever been to Tanzaku-gai, but he knows of the place, _(has people there)_. It's mainly a gambling town, but has a popular tourist attraction of some sort. It's not the nicest town, but it's dressed as one. A lot of deals get done there, hidden by the bright lights and behind all the gambling. There's only one main town on the way there, and Toru's certain Jiraiya – as the spymaster for Konoha – will detour through it.

"Gather Team 42-56," Koharu decides, "and set off to Shukuba-machi. Normal missing-nin parameters apply to Kisame Hoshigaki. Attempt to have Itachi Uchiha return to the village by alerting him to the fact his mission is over. Take whatever measures you need."

Meeting Koharu's gaze, he nods. "Unmask or…?"

"Whatever measures you need," Koharu reiterates, _(and Sasuke went after Itachi because they're brothers; Naruto is under the teaching of a sannin and a jōnin and Toru – what does he have left now?)_.

Toru nods and leaves, moving quickly, _(it isn't right that they didn't tell Sasuke or him that Itachi had come by but then – Konoha isn't quite in any state to be preparing for an actual fight against Itachi Uchiha)_, and slips into the ANBU Headquarters. Sora and Souma are still where he left them, but they're awake now and going over equipment.

"Mission," Toru says, the moment he enters the room, causing his teammates to snap to attention. "We're having Itachi Uchiha return to Konoha."

Sora frowns, but pulls on her armour. Catching her confusion, Toru adds "He massacred the Uchiha Clan under orders of Danzō, which he thought had been the Sandaime's orders. The Uchiha Clan had been planning a coup d'état."

"Danzō's a dick," Souma says, checking Toru's armour as he does so. "Let's go get your clanmate."

Toru grins, so grateful for his teammates that he can't help it. "Kisame Hoshigaki is there as well, so we're going to be taking normal missing-nin action against him."

Sora whistles. "Two S-ranked missing-nins? We're going to be hard pressed, any other information you need to give us?"

"Sasuke went after the pair three days ago. The pair are hunting Naruto who's with Jiraiya. We're heading towards Tanzaku-gai via Shukuba-machi," Toru adds as he checks over Sora's armour.

"We going full speed then?" Souma asks, "And do we have any plans for dealing with them?"

Picking up his mask, their mission leader shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure," he says, "Hoshigaki is from Kirigakure originally, so hopefully we can use some of the rumours against him. I'm going to be flipping between ninjutsu and seals, but… we need to separate the two and capture Itachi really."

Flipping on their masks, his teammates nod, and without a further word, Team 42-56 head out in a blur of speed.

_(What Toru doesn't say is how Sasuke is going after Itachi because Itachi is his brother and Toru isn't needed any longer. What Toru doesn't say is that there's a legacy on his shoulders that he has to deal with. What he doesn't say is that there's so much depending on this single mission – so much more than the world will ever know.)_

* * *

Team 42-56 are one of Konoha's fastest ANBU teams, but even they would be hard pressed to catch a pair of S-ranked missing-nins. Still, Jakkaru assumes that the two S-ranked missing-nins – since they had been spotted – would probably take an indirect route towards Naruto's position, meaning that they have a chance of catching up, _(he doesn't want to turn up to a battle scene)_. But there's Sasuke to think on – who has a three-day lead to get to a town that's two days away at chūnin speed when you're cutting straight through the forest, and three days away when you take the civilian roads.

"There's one inn that caters to ninja requirements," Kyatapirā says softly as they reach the outskirts of Shukuba-machi. "I reckon we should start there."

Jakkaru nods and drops back a pace, letting Kyatapirā take point. They slip into a side street, sticking in the shadows and hiding themselves with henges. It's somehow easy to avoid detection, _(Kyatapirā and Ibisu know stealth because they had been in ROOT, once, and where discovery often led to death; Jakkaru knows stealth because he has been hiding who he is for years and years, because he had been an Uzushio ninja and has decades of experience under his belt, because sometimes you aren't strong enough to survive so you have to be smart enough to hide instead)_. Kyatapirā takes them through various streets, circling around to lead them to a well-established inn.

They pause there, considering the building ahead of them. A flicker of colour catches Jakkaru's attention from within the building – black and red. Inhaling sharply, he gestures for his teammates to follow him, _(there are rumours, on the streets, of a group known as the Akatsuki who would complete missions in pairs with cloaks of black and red; no one knows where they are based, but they exist – and Jakkaru has people who tell him these rumours and the danger that come with them, so when Jakkaru sees – he knows)_.

"They're here," Jakkaru says quietly before leaping upwards, avoiding chakra use to ensure his chakra doesn't flare and alert others to where he is. "I've got Itachi," he decides, because he is the best bet to take Itachi with seals and ninjutsu, whilst Ibisu and Kyatapirā can keep up with Hoshigaki and his deadly sword.

Jakkaru folds his chakra, manipulating it until it curls up, hidden beneath his ribs, and slips into a room with an open window, his teammates following him on silent feet. Across the room, through the doorway and past the hall, Naruto's chakra pulses frantically – and so does Sasuke's, _(heart in his throat, he knows this is the turning point, a fulcrum, but he doesn't know what will happen next)_.

Unknown chakra flares, and there's no more time for thinking and planning in advance. Crashing through the door, Jakkaru bolsters his muscles with chakra. Itachi spins, movement blurring even to Jakkaru's eyes – and he's fast, _(but Jakkaru may just be faster)_. Even though Itachi moves out of the way, Jakkaru keeps going, flipping around and positioning himself between Itachi and his kids. "Kyatapirā, Ibisu!" He snaps, and the two ANBU members attack Hoshigaki, avoiding injury at the last moment.

_(Adrenaline courses through his veins because his teammates could die here if he's unlucky.) _

"Sasuke, Naruto, remain behind me," he says, carefully watching Itachi who is facing him but hasn't made a move to attack just yet. "Itachi Uchiha, your mission is over. We have orders for you to return to the Hokage and report. It's known that you were coerced into–"

Jakkaru cuts himself off, ducking, and flares his chakra, breaking a genjutsu before it can quite latch onto him, before blocking a kick.

"We know the truth Itachi-nii!" Sasuke picks up easily, allowing Jakkaru to give his attention completely to the fight. "Danzō forced you to murder the Uchiha Clan – you can come home. We- I want you home. Please."

There's not really enough space for a fight, but still, Jakkaru is hard pressed to keep up. Itachi is fast and smart; taller, stronger, and matches Jakkaru since he can use Sharingan to see what Jakkaru will do. It means that Jakkaru is pushing himself faster and faster to negate that advantage, all while keeping his kids behind him and protected.

Even with Sasuke having spoken, it doesn't seem to have made an impact. And Jakkaru ducks, attempting to avoid a punch that moves faster than he'd been expected, _(chakra fuelled, without a doubt)_, and catches his mask. It shatters, and Jakkaru spins, ensuring that none of the pieces dig into his face, and comes around to face Itachi with narrowed eyes.

"Shisui?" The word falls from Itachi's lips, and Jakkaru _(Toru) _doubts he meant to say it.

It causes them both to pause, to hesitate, to waver, and he realises that Shisui had been more or less his age when he'd died. He hadn't recognised how much he looked like Shisui, had forgotten, but-

Family. It's what connects them all.

And so, he doesn't attack. "We were close," he admits. "I'm Toru Uchiha, and ROOT has been destroyed. Konoha bids you to return."

Itachi doesn't attack and that- that's enough for Toru to let his attention flicker to where his teammates are still fighting, keeping Hoshigaki's attention and ensuring that his conversation with Itachi can't be heard.

The wooden wall behind Hoshigaki splinters and Jiraiya crashes through. Itachi turns to look at Hoshigaki, "Go!" The Kirigakure missing-nin hesitates, but nods, and crashes through another wall – but Itachi makes no move to follow or to attack.

"He's going," Kyatapirā confirms, turning her attention to Jiraiya, whilst Ibisu watches Itachi.

Toru just waits. Sasuke and Naruto are quiet behind him, and Jiraiya is glancing at them, clearly waiting for an explanation that Toru isn't overly interested in giving. Time seems frozen, forever stretching, and the silence is something heavy on Toru's shoulders, on his heart. There's nothing more he can do here – can't offer proof or anything, just has to wait and hope, _(sometimes you have nothing but hope)_.

_(And sometimes that's enough.)_

Words aren't going to help here. Toru knows that. And right now, a moment of inattention will easily let Itachi _move_ – get away, attack, kill him, or get at one of his kids; he doesn't know and he can't know, and still, Toru doesn't move, he simply waits.

Itachi relaxes, something so small that Toru doesn't notice it except for the way the tension in the atmosphere relaxes. He feels himself relax in response. "Sasuke?"

Toru moves to the side, and lets Sasuke move from behind him. "Hi," Sasuke says softly, quietly, _(and for all that he still grieves, he has come so far from the angry, grieving, hating child that Toru first met – and Toru is so proud of him)_. "It's been a while."

_(It's been longer than a while, and there are so many words that Sasuke isn't saying but – this will take time, as all things tend to. They will work through this together and individually and they'll get there.) _

"Yeah," Itachi says, voice low, and – Itachi's a kid too, _(what a fucked up world they live in)_. "Yeah, it has been."

Toru turns to face Jiraiya, "I assume you will continue to follow Tsunade's tracks with Naruto?" Jiraiya narrows his eyes, but nods. "Sasuke, you coming home or…?"

Sasuke glances at Itachi before checking on Naruto. "I'll be fine," Naruto immediately says in response to the unasked question. "You're needed elsewhere."

Inhaling deeply, Sasuke shakily nods. "Itachi, you're coming with us then." And Itachi just dips his head, not saying another word. "Sasuke, we're going to be moving at our speed." In response, the youngest Uchiha's face scrunches up, but he nods in understanding. Toru flicks a few signs at his teammates to reorganise their formation, and crouches, letting Sasuke hop onto his back. "To Konoha," he says.

"To Konoha," Itachi echoes.

_(And this is not the beginning, not the start, of anything at all really. It would never be the beginning, because the beginning had already occurred over and over again. No, this is definitely part of the middle – a fork, a twisted path, this is where the forest fades and the road opens up.) _

_(But, here's the thing about where the road opens up to the sky, for those who can fly – well, they'll always leave the road behind.)_

* * *

Itachi returns to Konoha under the cover of darkness, guarded by a team of three ANBU, _(one who is an Uchiha, who looks like Shisui, who wasn't meant to survive but somehow did in the face of it all)_. No one had spoken on the way back, the ANBU speaking in sign – not that there had been much time for talking, the ANBU team had moved fast and kept Itachi moving fast, _(not pushing him; nevertheless, they hadn't seem pushed either which is interesting)_.

And now he is here, in Konoha, legally if Toru is to be believed. He's taken to the hospital, and he's somewhat surprised that they face no adversity or even questioning on the way. But then, he is surrounded by an ANBU team and they are taking back paths to remain out of sight. They pause outside the room, and Itachi can sense the Sandaime's chakra flickering weakly behind it.

"Enter," the Sandaime calls, and Kyatapirā – or, at least, the one Itachi believes to be Kyatapirā – pushes open the door, and enters. Itachi follows, _(and he cannot guess what will come next, because he has never expected anything like this)_, and feels like he's drifting, _(and this is the first time he has felt unsure of what will happen next since Shisui- since Shisui died)_. "Itachi-kun," the Sandaime says, looking small against white sheets, looking old, looking powerless, _(and maybe this is because Itachi has surrounded himself by S-ranked ninjas who are deadly and carry this deadliness around with them, who you can look at and instantly know that they are powerful and dangerous – but the Sandaime doesn't seem that way, seems weak)_, "I am glad to see you are unharmed."

Itachi nods. The motion feels like it should be jerky, but it isn't. It isn't. The Sandaime turns his attention to the ANBU team, to Toru.

"I'm afraid my mask was broken, Sandaime-sama," Toru says.

The Sandaime simply nods, meets Itachi's gaze, and says, "As always, names beneath the mask are not to be revealed." Itachi inclines his head, and can't help but question the Hokage as he simply accepts it – accepts his loyalty, _(and this doesn't seem right because loyalty isn't just given straight away, even if that's what's meant to happen – and maybe Itachi is loyal to Konoha, but he doesn't have to love the Hokage who left his clan to their deaths and did nothing even if-)_.

"I can confirm that ROOT has been destroyed and Danzō was killed during the fight. Koharu briefed me on the situation, and you are welcomed into Konoha," the Sandaime adds, _(and it makes up for nothing – there's no relief, no anything, just the dull acceptance that seems to pervade every aspect of his being)_. "Toru-kun, you will deal with Itachi-kun's living situation. Send one of your teammates to alert Koharu so she can complete Itachi-kun's paperwork. Itachi-kun, your report will be required as soon as you can complete it."

Toru bows, and Itachi follows, uncertain, unsure, but not caring too much. He can do nothing but follow right now, _(but he does wonder what the other Uchiha – the unknown Uchiha – will do to him, because Itachi murdered his clan and it may have been on orders, but he still did it and that- that leaves people angry and hating but this Uchiha does not seem that way and it's strange)_. "Hai," the younger boy says, and they leave – leave that room with its pale walls and white sheets and the old shinobi in his bed.

Back in the hospital hallway, Toru turns to his teammates, Itachi a pace behind him. "Sasuke?" Toru calls, and the youngest Uchiha glances at Itachi before turning to focus on Toru.

Sasuke inhales sharply. "I think- I think I'm going to go see Sakura," he says, and Toru nods. "I'll come around tomorrow, but…"

"That sounds like a smart idea," Toru says, _(and his voice isn't pitying or anything – it's just kind, and Itachi doesn't understand it because people aren't just kind even amongst family)_. "Ibisu, report the completion of the mission," he continues, signing something that Itachi doesn't understand. "Kyatapirā, report to Koharu-san."

The two ANBU nod and disappear in a blur of speed, _(and Itachi watches them go and thinks – he could take them, easily, and it would be easy; and hates himself for thinking it)_. Sasuke meets Itachi's eyes before dropping his gaze. "I'll… see you soon, Itachi," he says, _(and he's nothing like the little brother Itachi left behind, and he aches for that young child full of happiness and love, aches for the family he had to destroy)_.

And then there's just them – Itachi and this other Uchiha, Toru, and he has no idea who they are to each other, _(and there's something in the Toru's eyes that he doesn't understand)_. Tilting his head, Toru is silent and Itachi doesn't dare break it, simply waiting for whatever words the other will throw at him, _(then again, Toru is an ANBU so perhaps they are not that different; perhaps Toru has not drowned himself in hate and anger)_. "Come on, we can go talk elsewhere."

Itachi hesitates, but Toru doesn't move, _(and maybe he's waiting for an answer)_. "Where?" He asks at last, glancing at the window, _(the sun is rising, dawning over Konoha – and this is a sight Itachi thought he'd never see again)_.

Toru pauses, again, before meeting his eyes, _(and he must know how dangerous such a thing can be but – Itachi is home, he should be safe; he cannot attack another Konoha ninja because his mission, his spying, it's now all over)_. "There's one place where we'll be left alone and ignored," he says at last, as if weighing his words before speaking. "But if it is difficult for you – there are other places, but more open to other eyes."

"Where?" Itachi repeats.

"The Uchiha Clan Compound," Toru replies, and his words send something heavy into Itachi's heart, almost make him stumble; but Itachi is more than his emotions and feelings, and they have no bearing on how he acts. So, he simply inclines his head and follows Toru over the Konoha roof tops.

They land just outside the wall that guards the compound and it's– it's different. It is not what Itachi had expected. This is no abandoned compound, with blood stains and ghosts, _(there are ghosts aplenty, in his peripheral, flickering as they always have – but there are not more ghosts here, there are the ghosts who have always been with him and suddenly the weight on his shoulders and back makes more sense)_, but something other entirely. Something new. He knows not what to make of it.

Toru glances at him, again, and offers something like a smile and enters the compound, leaving Itachi there, _(not leaving him behind nor forgetting him, but almost pinpointing how Itachi does not yet mean something here – that for all his deeds, for all his efforts, Itachi is meaningless, not quite an enemy but not an ally and definitely not family)_. It's the work of two quick strides to reach Toru, keeping a step behind him and to the side, within sight. Even knowing that Toru is the most dangerous person here, Itachi somehow finds himself focussing on the colour surrounding him, on the people. There are many, and they don't shy away from him – calling out to Toru, welcoming. These are not Uchihas, but here they are within the compound anyway.

He's not sure what to make of it – but it deeply contrasts the Uchiha Clan Compound of his memories, and it is better that way, _(it eases something within him, but Itachi will not accept such peace)_.

"It's different," he says, awkwardly since small talk has never been his forte, and he has never bothered with it over the past years.

Toru twists, glancing at him, eyes dancing and a small slipping onto his face. "Yes," he says, certainty clinging to the word. "We wanted," he falters, fumbling with his words, "it not to be abandoned, to be left forgotten and decaying further, left to a memory of blood and ghosts and pain. And, in this way, our clan cannot be forgotten, will not be forgotten. If we can make this place brighter, make others lives better, we owe it to try."

Itachi wants to ask who they owe it to, why Toru has not simply ensured that the Uchiha Clan will not be forgotten, but has changed the reputation and legacy the clan had left – because he has. Itachi can see that, _(much clearer than most things, for that matter, but that is neither here nor there)_. There is happiness here, a life worth living, and it is far from the coldness of the Uchiha Clan, the superiority that they clung to despite everything. He casts about for a word to describe the change, _(and he thinks that this might be better than what the Uchiha Clan had been, kinder, more than the clan deserves)_.

"This is Shūsanki Square," Toru says, "where many merchants – those who travel – sell their wares both during the day and during the night. I'm sure you'll get to know many of them in time. For the most part, the stalls are paid for in advance and you don't actually need to check over anything as many know how the rules work and all that. One simply needs to check over the finances from time to time, but that's relatively easy.

"The civilian area continues to Asagiri; although, this is where all the shops and so forth are. There are ninjas and so forth who are renting houses further back, but the renting goes through an agent and – once again – the people know what they're doing."

Itachi does not understand why Toru is telling him this, but he does not know who Toru is either, _(a bright laugh on the wind, a best friend calling his name and telling him a story of a little cousin who doesn't fit in and hides behind a façade)_, even if his name is somewhat familiar, _(and he has not thought of the cousin Shisui had left behind, because Shisui had seemed, regardless of all his friends, lonely)_.

"There is also a seal that monitors chakra use outside of the training grounds to ensure safety. Both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke are tied into it, and you may be tied in with time. Nonetheless, I doubt that is something to discuss now, but perhaps in the future," Toru concludes as he takes a seat at some restaurant.

Itachi takes the seat opposite, his back to the wall and in a position that enables him to see all possible exits and entrances, _(and that Toru allows himself to sit in a position where his back is to the rest of the world is, not quite admirable, nevertheless certainly something – it speaks of trust, not in Itachi, but in the people here)_. He hears the words Toru does not say, the bluntness hidden with something like twisted kindness. They are both aware that trust is lacking, and will continue to be nonexistence until more time has passed and they know each other rather than simply knowing one another's name.

"Did you want to speak about something in particular, Toru-san?" Itachi asks.

Toru leans back in his seat, staring at Itachi, _(he wants to shift beneath that gaze, even if he knows doing so will give something away – but he doesn't know what he's giving away, doesn't know what Toru wants)_. "I am not entirely sure where to go from here," the other Uchiha admits. "We are strangers, for all that we are kin. And Sasuke is family now, and you are not – not yet, at the very least. I know very little of who you are, but I know you care for Sasuke, in a manner."

Itachi is not quite sure how to answer. Toru Uchiha is something, that's for certain. He's correct. They are strangers and kin, almost family but far from family. A series of contradictions, perhaps, yet true nevertheless. "Indeed," he says, and he wants to ask about what comes next, about Toru's plans, and instead he asks, "How did ROOT fall?" Almost immediately, he wants to take back his words, because Itachi isn't meant to know Konoha's secrets, _(not after he abandoned it on orders, after he slaughtered its people, after he burned all bridges and never expected to return)_.

"Sasuke and I had figured something wasn't perfect in Konoha sometime before," Toru says. "My missions had been going wrong time after time, and more so then one could logically expect. I'd… prepared, for the worst-case situation. On one mission, my mission partner attacked me and I faked my own death, fleeing. I survived, but it was close, for some time." He pauses, and Itachi watches, noting the minute shift in Toru's body language, the slow blink; all of it means something. "Shisui had left something in my head using the Mangekyō Sharingan – a message, a memory, about ROOT. I tracked the ROOT member sent to kill me back to base, infiltrated it, stole reports, and reported Danzō's treason to the Sandaime."

Itachi takes this in, and doesn't know how to reply, doesn't know what to say, _(and Shisui died)_. "You were an ANBU?" He says, just before the pause grows too long.

The other ninja, _(and Toru is a ninja)_, blinks placidly, uncaring almost. "A chūnin at the time," he corrects, "but I gained a position within the ANBU Corps shortly afterwards, yes." Then, his gaze narrows, _(and Itachi is reminded of the danger that this ninja contains, because he had kept up with Itachi – what is quite intriguing is the fact that this shinobi feels more dangerous than the Sandaime)_, "Shisui died because Danzō attacked him, didn't he? You never killed him, no matter what rumours circled after."

Itachi's throat feels dry, and he feels cut open and he shouldn't – because this ninja doesn't know him at all, but he does anyway. Nodding, he finds himself lost for words, but Toru seems to expect his lack of talking, and his gaze shifts away, _(the hairs on Itachi's arms settle, the danger passed)_.

"How's your eyesight? The Mangekyō Sharingan leads to blindness, does it not?"

And Itachi, once again, is left surprised as that knowledge is not ordinary knowledge. "It's not bad," he says, _(says like his vision isn't blurry, like he doesn't prefer to use his Sharingan when he can because it means he can see, like he isn't aware that he's a few years away from being completely blind)_.

Toru hums, staring at him in a discerning manner that is slightly worrying. "Takumi may be helpful, later," he says. "Now, I'm certain Koharu-san will complete paperwork that enables you to be a citizen of Konoha but – do you wish to return to Konoha's Ninja Corps?"

_(His answer should be yes; it should be yes without any hesitation. He is a ninja. It is all he knows; all he has ever been. He can't do anything else. Yet, at the same time, he is tired of blood and fighting. It's not like he's ever really wanted this, but he has lived this life regardless.)_

"It'd be helpful if you are willing to remain a civilian, at least for some time," Toru continues as if he hadn't seen Itachi's hesitation, his uncertainty, "especially as you'll need to go through a thorough check up first."

_(If Toru had been someone else, Itachi would've assumed that the other Uchiha knows – but that's impossible, and so he ignores it; there had been no weight to Toru's words. He's just on edge and paranoid. That's all.)_

"If you want, you can live with us in our apartment for now – unless you wish to live in one of the houses here. Otherwise, I don't think there's anywhere that'll have an opening, especially right now," Toru adds.

"But- Sasuke?" Itachi says, hating his inelegance and stuttering.

Toru softens further, if such a thing is possible. "He's keeping his head on straight and staying with his teammate currently, he assumed that this would happen. And, Itachi-san, you are family. Sasuke knows what's happened. Your hand was forced. He still cares about you deeply. It's just going to take sometime to adjust." He shrugs, "It's the same for you. This is something new and different and entirely unexpected. This has been Sasuke's goal for quite some time. Neither of you are who you once were, and you're strangers with a history between you. But now you get to decide who you are to each other and who you are without orders forcing you to self-destruct."

Itachi's breath is shaky and he tries to hide it. He doesn't know how to act around Toru or around Sasuke, barely knows who he is really. It's a slightly hysterical thought. And maybe Toru understands that, because he shifts and stands. "I'll show you around the compound," he says, and Itachi follows, wordless, silent, _(but no longer alone)_.

* * *

**Jakkaru and the rest of his ANBU team follow Itachi, Kisame, and Sasuke. It leads them to Naruto and Jiraiya. The encounter, naturally, leads to a fight and – at last – Itachi learns that Sasuke knows the truth behind the Uchiha Clan's massacre. And Itachi, pardoned, returns to Konoha. At long last, something shifts and gives way. **

* * *

**I have no idea how to write Itachi, so I gave it a try. It'll improve as I both change his character and get used to writing him. This probably felt really anti-climatic, but I have more plans. We're like getting to the good part (the part I have been waiting for). Honestly, thinking there'll be one chapter more for this book and then I'll start the next.**

**So where Sasuke left because Naruto was in danger, Toru believes he left because Itachi was sighted. This is because one of Toru's major flaws is that he believes he is replaceable and doesn't have that much of an impact on people - that they will always want something better than him, that there will always be something better. I've tried to show this flaw, but I also probably forgot to show this flaw, so it's coming out quite a bit in this chapter and the next chapter.**

**There's not too much left to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and Itachi was not too out of character... This is the second-last chapter as well. So, here's to the next one (and tell me if you spot any hints about what might happen next!).**


	22. Ebb

Naruto returns to Konoha, triumphant, with Tsunade and Jiraiya and Tsunade's assistant. He returns, worried and fearful, because last he had seen one of his teammates going through something he had always hoped for but could never prepare fully for. He returns to Konoha, and cares not for Tsunade becoming the Godaime Hokage, but for his teammates, for Toru, for the family he has so much love for he doesn't know how he could love anything else.

He returns, and Sasuke and Sakura stand at the gates. Sasuke's pale, shadowed eyes, restless in daylight. Sakura is almost smiling, forehead creasing with worry, but unable to do anything else.

_(Naruto sees more, though. He sees the sureness in Sasuke's stance, the ease that comes from accepting hardship, pain but the determination to continue through it. He sees Sakura, worried for him and Sasuke, for their future, for Konoha, but her belief that they will make it through.)_

Within seconds, they're grouped together in a hug. "Hey," Naruto whispers, even though he doesn't really have anything important to say. "I brought back the Godaime. What did you guys do?"

Sakura pulls back, laughing, shaking her head as she goes. Sasuke sniffs, raises his head, and replies, "I brought back an S-ranked missing-nin. I think that's slightly more impressive than a simple gambler."

"She's a sannin!" Naruto protests, half-heartedly at best, "Besides, I think Toru did more of the work."

Sasuke grins, sharp, and Takuma playfully nips Naruto's leg. "It was all me," he claims. "Is Tsunade-san going to heal Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto falters, remembering the half-conversation he'd held with Sasuke before everything had gone wrong. "Yeah, she can," he says. "She's apparently the greatest healer ever."

"When she's not gambling her debts away," Sakura grumbles, narrowing her eyes at the blonde woman.

Scratching the back of his head, Naruto laughs awkwardly. "She's gonna get better. She was just in a bad place, but she got there. I think Orochimaru had an impact more than anything else."

"Orochimaru?" Sakura and Sasuke repeat, outraged and horrified.

Naruto hums, amused at their reactions. "Yeah, Orochimaru got to Tsunade-san before to heal his arms and bring back her loved ones? And she didn't want to be Godaime at all, so we argued. We might've fought. I made a bet, because gamblers always want to take bets 'cause it's an addiction, which is why Toru warns us against it. She accepted it. And I won! When we fought Orochimaru, she had to help and she got over her fear of blood as well. Or started to, at least. She probably needs therapy."

"You need therapy," Sasuke bites out. "Why can't you tell us these things earlier?"

Naruto shrugs. "I'm not injured, Tsunade-san healed me."

Sakura slams an elbow into his ribs, causing him to yelp and fold over. "That's what you get for not leading with the fact you were in a battle with Orochimaru!"

"I didn't do much," Naruto replies sulkily. "Besides, you've had You Know Who around."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke sighs. "Let's go see Toru. I'm sure he'll want to see that you're back."

* * *

Toru signs his name on the dotted line, _(signs the end of one life)_, before folding the paperwork and placing it in an envelope. He summons one of the cockroaches, and gives them the envelope. "Could you take this to the Hokage's office?" He asks, and the cockroach nods, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

A knock on the door has him rising out of his seat, just as Team Kakashi enter, scrambling over one another, _(there's something in his head reminding him what this is for, why he's doing this)_. "Hey kids," he says, laughing at them. Sasuke grumbles, shoving at Naruto, who launches himself at Toru, and Sakura dodges out of the way. Toru catches Naruto, and swings the kid around before letting him go. Ruffling Sasuke's hair, Toru says, "It's good to see you back."

Naruto beams, _(and it's so easy for this kid to smile and laugh and love life)_. "I take it Kakashi will be up soon enough?"

Sakura nods. "He's meant to be up in a few hours. Is Uchiha-san around?"

Takuma barks from beside Sasuke. "Takuma says Takumi's scent was on the wind, so I'm assuming he'll be back soon?" Sasuke asks, glancing up at Toru.

Toru nods. "He went to his therapy session," he replies, "Takumi is still trailing him, even if she hasn't actually met him."

Sasuke narrows his eyes and hums, glancing at Takuma who barks in response. "I guess Naruto's got to meet him, right?"

"He does live here," Toru says, just as Itachi knocks on the door.

Sakura, closest to the door, opens it, greeting Itachi coolly as she does so. "Welcome back," Toru says, standing up and meeting Itachi's gaze, _(he's been trying to do that more – show he's not afraid, show that there's no reason why Itachi is different from any of them)_. "This is Naruto Uzumaki, ward of the Uchiha Clan, so he lives with us."

Itachi seems – uncertain, Toru would say; although, the word doesn't suit Itachi. The older Uchiha just seems unsure about many things – his place in Konoha, his humanity, his relation to the Uchiha Clan and, by extension, to Toru and Sasuke. It makes sense, when Toru puts some time into thinking about it, because in all likelihood, Itachi probably assumed he would never return to Konoha. And, well, there's not much Toru can do about that except make sure that Itachi knows he's wanted here and push him to go to therapy, _(Itachi is a kid – he's only two or three years that Toru technically, but Toru has another thirty-three years)_.

"It is nice to meet you, Naruto-san," he says, words stilted, but he is trying – that much is clear to see.

Naruto nods, and smiles, _(because he has been hated, and even though he is angry at Itachi for what he did, for what he has done, Itachi also looks sad and uneasy, and – well – Naruto's been there)_. "Hi, Itachi-san," he says. "I'm glad you're here," and that's true – because, for Sasuke, _(and Sakura and Toru and Iruka and probably a lot of people),_ Naruto would bring down the moon. He's thankful Itachi is here, for Sasuke, even if he doesn't like Itachi. That could change, though, in time. After all, people aren't static in the slightest, but prone to changes.

_(And Toru thinks that it might all go okay.)_

* * *

Tsunade glances at the name on the resignation form. She's roughly halfway through the pile of resignation forms, the majority appear to be due to injuries more than anything else, which is good. Konoha needs all their ninjas. Still…

"Toru Uchiha," she muses, signing the form. There's no reason written for the resignation, but he's young. His form says chūnin, but the black smudge on the corner of the page – looking like an accident – identifies him as an ANBU and, well, Tsunade can understand a kid resigning after a few years in the ANBU Corps.

Minutes later, she forgets about him as she moves onto the next form.

* * *

Technically, clan matters are handled internally and one only ever needs to alert others if there has been a change in who is Clan Head. Toru Uchiha has been Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan for some time – but he has never been trained for it, not really, _(not to anyone who knows him, because he'd picked up politics well enough as an Uzushio shinobi, as the ANBU Commander; but here, no one knows that)_.

And so, when Toru is home with Sasuke and Itachi, _(mandatory get-to-know-each-other time, Naruto calls out)_, he brings the topic up. "I'm thinking of resigning from Clan Head position," he says, and meets Sasuke's gaze, _(because Sasuke will come first here, because Sasuke is one of Toru's people)_.

"If you want," Sasuke says evenly, no hesitation in his voice, eyes sliding across to Itachi. "I think Itachi should take the position," he continues with a shrug, _(and Toru agrees because he remembers found notes on a disease and because something tells him Itachi doesn't need to keep up with the ninja lifestyle)_. "After all, you've been bored recently, haven't you?"

Itachi looks between them, as if waiting for some cruel comment to follow, but when they say nothing, he says, "Are you sure?"

_(It's a loaded question. Are they sure they trust him? Are they certain that they can let him run the clan?)_

Sasuke smiles. And that's all the answer Itachi needs.

* * *

Toru writes note after note after note. He's handed in his ANBU resignation form and his chūnin resignation form and his Clan Head resignation form. He's reviewed the finances and ensured that everyone is safe for now, that the compound will run smoothly without anyone's input, that the police will have the funding they need, that every other fund he's got going will survive.

He writes. Letter after letter. He tries to elucidate his reasons, tries to remind everyone that they will be fine, _(he's only ever had an impact when people have let him; he's only ever been there because someone was alone and now – now no one is alone, and so he's really not needed)_. It's difficult, since he can't quite give the tangled emotions and thoughts in his head, _(in his heart)_, the words it deserves, can't quite spell everything out.

So he writes and he hopes, and thinks they'll understand.

_(It's bigger than all of them, but it's the same size as all of them as well.)_

* * *

**_Tomoe, _**

**_I apologise for not providing prior warning, but I am sure you can understand what this letter is about. I mentioned this, some time ago, about a place of safety – of all of you being together, do you remember? Times are changing, and so safety, as much as we can have in this world, is relatively close by. Or, at the very least, it will be. _**

**_I am leaving Konoha for the time being, and heading eastward to Uzu no Kuni. If you wish to hide and remain safe, if you are tired of all of this – that will be the place to go. There are many signs that can be followed there, and I'm sure there will be movement in that direction. Even if you desire this to be the end of our communication, I ask that you try to keep the rumours of mass movement, of Uzu no Kuni, silent. Regardless of what happens next and what will be, I thank you for all your help. If this is to be the end of our communication, so be it. Everything you have claimed, have fought for, is yours and no one else's. Kakumau will live on and no one can stop you. I will not take anything from you – including Masuyo and Raiden's own business, because that – too – is yours, and by yours I mean theirs and everyone's. I'm sure you understand. _**

**_If you could, please alert Yumiko of Blossom that Ryuu will be found in Uzu no Kuni. _**

**_Good luck and safe fortune,  
Ryuu_**

* * *

**_Dear Shou, _**

**_I have grown tired of all this fighting and hatred. I'm sure you understand. We all know that the missions I've undertaken are… difficult, to say the least. We've had tough times between us, both as a genin team and in later missions. Thus, I've decided to try my hand at travelling around Hi no Kuni for some time… I need a break, Shou. Especially due to recent circumstances… I don't want my legacy to just be a body count. _**

**_There's a world out there that I only know through the eyes of a ninja. I want to experience it as someone else. I want to see that there is a point to all of this, that there is kindness out there. I apologise for leaving with only a note to say goodbye, but I think it is for the best. Otherwise, I might remain here and that, I believe, I would grow to hate. I do not want that to happen. _**

**_Stay strong and stay safe,  
Toru Uchiha _**

* * *

**_Dear Kiku, _**

**_I'm sure you will converse with Shou about this message, and that is fair. I expected nothing else from my genin teammates. It seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it? Yet, it hasn't been that long since we were on a genin team together, since Natsumi-sensei was alive… _**

**_Time is swift, life is harsh, and both bring changes we can never be prepared for. In recent times, I've found myself debating over whether I wish to remain in this cycle of bloodshed. It is tiring, isn't it? To wake up each day, repeat the same motions, and remember the blood on your hands. The aches in my bones grow stronger, scar tissue harsher. I can weather this, but I want a change. I do not know whether I can weather this and remain the same person as I have always been. _**

**_In that regard, I've decided to try travelling around Hi no Kuni and seeing what life really is – not just as a ninja, but as a person who isn't just a tool. I grow tired of all of this bloodshed, and Konoha feels weary; a weight on my shoulders that I dare no shift and will grow to hate. I do not want that to happen, and so I leave. My only regret is sending you a message rather than saying goodbye in person. I understand you will hate me for this, and you can feel angry and hate me for this. I would deserve it. _**

**_Live well,  
Toru Uchiha_**

* * *

**_Dear Iruka, _**

**_As I am sure you know by now, I've decided to leave the village to travel around Hi no Kuni as a civilian for some time. My logic behind this is… hard to describe with words, and easier to simply claim that various emotions and thought patterns have led me to this decision. It is not one I have made easily, but it is the one I have made after weighing everything up. _**

**_This is the best way to avoid coming into hate and anger at this bloodshed, at these missions that seem endless in their horror. And you know, as well as I do, that there will always be bloodshed in my missions. It is unavoidable. Besides, I have served my time and it is not inconceivable to consider the fact I am no longer a ninja. After all, ninjas like me get burned out rather quickly. _**

**_There is much I wish to say, but the words escape me. I thank you for your friendship and everything else; you will always have my eternal gratitude. You have helped me so much over the years, and I fear I have repaid you with nothing – nothing, and now hurt, if I am not overstepping my bounds. If possible, would you ensure that Naruto and Sasuke are happy? The changes to their lives will undoubtedly have an impact, even if they wish it was not so. _**

**_I apologise for wrongs done, and I thank you for the friendship that we have been blessed with. _**

**_Remain true to yourself,  
Toru Uchiha _**

* * *

**_Dear Sora, _**

**_I apologise, firstly, for leaving the way I am – leaving the team without prior warning. Still, I am sure you can understand this. I hope you do, as I appear to lack the words to explain correctly. _**

**_Perhaps, to some people, two or three years of friendship isn't long – but it is enough, more than enough, to create a bond that is more meaningful than I could ever say clearly. I have said this many times and I am sure I will always say it, but there are no words to detangle the bundle of emotions that rest heavy in my chest. Fondness and love and so many things wrapped up, forming something that I know intrinsically as our friendship. _**

**_Trust given as a teammate, as a mission partner, as an ANBU member, as a friend, as everything that I could possibly give. But then, I suppose, we don't quite need words – we know what we are, and that is not something that can easily be lost. _**

**_Except I am leaving – and that will hurt, I think. It would be worse, however, to stay. Maybe you can understand that or maybe you can't. This is my fault, and my choice – it will never be on you and could never be due to you. This is something other. This is about me, waking up to a clan of ghosts. This is about me and my blood-stained hands, the things I can never say. I think I've been pushing against this for a while, but – like the tide – it will not give, and I must give instead. For the better, though, I think. Happiness… it comes, but perhaps contentment would describe such things better. There is something out there that will encourage me again, remind me that there are things greater and better than we are, that what we do matter. _**

**_Still, I feel that you will be able to find me – if you wish to do so and try. However, Konoha is your home; do not leave simply for me. We must find our own paths, must find ourselves, without one another. _**

**_Survive and love and live,  
Toru Uchiha_**

* * *

**_Dear Souma,_**

**_Do you ever feel like you're repeating yourself? That you say the same thing a thousand times in a thousand different ways? I feel that – not just in my life itself, but also writing these letters. Apologies. Goodbyes. I'm not sure what you would call them, but they are what they are. Whatever that is. _**

**_The thing is, when you write the same thing a hundred different times, when you live the same day for years on end, you become uncertain of what to do, find a hatred swirling within you. It is not nice. It is not kind. I am neither of those things, so perhaps this fits. I am being selfish; I know this to be true. However, I find myself not caring. Somethings are more important and this life – I wish to enjoy it, if it is the only one I am to have. _**

**_I could, of course, say something rather cliché here – that it isn't you, it's me. But whilst that is true, I feel it would make light of the things that lay between us, that lay between us all. _**

**_It is not easy to leave, will not be easier. Even considering the idea… Well, I'm sure you can understand to some degree. Perhaps, or maybe not. Regardless, it is what it is. There was a point to this letter, I'm sure, but I have apparently lost it myself. _**

**_It feels like I am losing my words, my thoughts, by attempting to write them down. Confusing and confounding myself, since I seem incapable of understanding myself properly. Or maybe I do and it is the grasp of our language that is the real issue, that I lack of the ability to use words correctly. _**

**_I hope, if nothing else, the sentiment behind this note is clear. You will be fine I am sure. You have Sora, and you are not alone. That, I think, is important to remember. _**

**_Remain true to yourself,  
Toru Uchiha_**

* * *

**_Dear Naruto, _**

**_It's been quite some time, since you've come into both my life and Sasuke's. We are all the better for it. You're officially an adult now; well, you have been for some time. Realistically, though, genins are viewed as children for the most part unless they are in the Genin Corps for a few years. You're a chūnin now, and I am proud of you. Congratulations on all your accomplishments. I am sure you will get better, stronger. And I will always be proud of you. But that is what family does – they are always proud of you. _**

**_I am leaving Konoha, for now. I grow tired of the bloodshed and the lives I take. I have earned this, if nothing else. You are an adult now, so you no longer need me. Besides, you have your teacher and your teammates and your friends. What more use could I be?_**

**_There is a world out there that I know through a blood-tinted lens, and perhaps it is time I changed that view. I could write a thousand letters, and still I would lack the words to detail my reasoning, to explain myself well enough, to say why I didn't see you in person to say goodbye. You could convince me to stay, I believe, with ease. Except, I fear I would come to hate the person I would become if I remained, and that that hate would extend to Konoha as a whole. I don't want that, and I doubt you do either. _**

**_I think I have always been aware I would want to travel one day, to test my speed against the wind for no other reason than I can. To run and run and not stop until I feel as if I will drop. This is not a surprise, I think. Or perhaps it is. I have always been alone with my thoughts, and I doubt that I voiced these thoughts that laid at the back of my mind, meaningless in their meaning. Now, though, now I feel the tiredness that swarms my body, sinking into my muscles, chained to my bones. Immoveable. It would be very easy, I fear, to hate Konoha for what has been done – to me, to others. There is a lot I know that you do not – and I do not mean to sound condescending here. I have simply been involved with fallouts that have been kept quiet for the most part. It is, at last, getting to me. _**

**_I am sorry for what I am doing – leaving without a word. Yet, I cannot help but not regret it. After all, as I mentioned earlier, I would stay if you had asked. I would stay and I would hate it all, but I would stay. This is your home, and it has always been so. You love it here. But I am filled with wanderlust, and perhaps it is my ancestors' blood in me. Still, I feel it. _**

**_Cherish yourself and those you love,  
Toru Uchiha_**

* * *

Toru glances around the apartment, _(remember this, for you will never have it again)_, taking it all in. Running fingers along the fold of the note, he sighs and places it down. He isn't taking any bags or anything with him, having sealed it into scrolls that have then been sealed into the storage seals he has tattooed on his body. The familiar weight of the hitai-ate is missing, left behind, _(but it is something small to leave behind, and it means nothing in the bigger picture; there is something more important out there, waiting for him)_.

The door locks behind him with a click that seems overly loud in the silent hallway. Toru gives himself a moment, _(take what you want from yourself but give yourself something too),_ leaning his forehead against the door. This place… This apartment has been his home for a few years now, and – even knowing the memories will remain with him – he thinks he may miss it, _(even if he's going home again)_.

Rather than slipping out the window and onto the rooftops, as he normally does, Toru heads down the stairs. He's technically classified as a civilian now, whatever that might mean. Besides, he wants to remember this. Walking amongst the streets, moving slowly, seems the best way to do such a thing.

Nevertheless, he doesn't walk slowly, keeping up a normal pace and making it to the Memorial Stone in good time. There's no one else there, and he can't help but be thankful for that.

Toru doesn't bother finding Natsumi-sensei's name, instead just standing in front of the stone with his head bowed. "Thank you," he says, at last, floundering for what else to say, "for everything. I hope I have not disappointed you with my decision, but I am needed elsewhere…"

_(There are so many things he can't say. He's needed elsewhere. His people need him, because they are his, no matter how much time has passed. Natsumi-sensei had tried to teach him to love Konoha, to love their people – and she had partially succeeded. However, she couldn't quite overpower the love he holds for Uzushio and his people. After all, they are his responsibility and he had spent thirty-three years living there.) _

_(Natsumi-sensei had tried, and he had been happy. But there had always been a pull on his bones, dreams of a village by the sea, a world waiting for him just out of reach. And now, no longer needed, he can leave for it.) _

He reckons she would understand. That'd she knows this is him looking after himself – and she had told him that, _(in that maybe real, maybe illusioned world that had come when he had almost died a second time in this life)_.

Glancing at all the names, Toru bows his head once more. "Thank you for your sacrifice; I'm sure Konoha is proud of you," he says – because there are so many names there, and he aches, _(hates)_, the idea of any of them being forgotten. They had all meant something to someone once, and they deserved to be remembered – even if he can do no more than say a few words for them. He hopes it helps them wherever they are now.

Spinning on his heel, Toru continues his walk. This time heading towards the Uchiha Clan Compound. He doesn't sneak in, but he does duck his head, allows his feet to shuffle along the ground, and slouches. After all, sometimes you don't need to sneak anywhere, you just have to blend into the crowd and no one will notice you, _(and Toru can blend in fairly well anywhere when he puts his mind to it)_.

Rather than heading towards the memorial for the Uchiha Clan, Toru takes a route that leads him to a graveyard instead. The graveyard is silent, which Toru had expected, but it feels even more silent than what he had expected. It's not quite creepy, because it is a place of solace, but… It's lonely and it feels almost forgotten.

To be fair, though, few people come to this graveyard. It's for those of the Uchiha Clan who did not die in Konoha's service. It's mainly full of gravestones for civilians.

_(Shisui's gravestone should have been hidden here, amongst the others. However, the clan had been killed and no one had continued getting a gravestone. And so, Shisui has nothing for those who knew him to turn to, aside from their own memories.)_

He kneels between the graves of his father, _(whose gravestone his mother had begged for and paid for and fought for),_ and his mother, _(he had organised it himself after… after)._ They loved him, despite everything, even if his mother hadn't showed it well, even if they had grown distant.

Remembering that now, remembering that love, he can say nothing. They are his parents and, from what he remembers of them, _(and remembers of another set of parents in the past)_, he doesn't think that they would hate him for this. Especially based on what they had said in that real-maybe-fake world where his lives had joined together in death.

He stands, leaving nothing behind, _(no mark of his coming)_. And then he's leaving, heading through Konoha's main gate and getting his _(civilian)_ paperwork marked. Then he's out of Konoha, and on the road, and there is a world out there waiting for him, _(his village is waiting for him, his people are waiting for him, and their home is calling for them all to return because now is the time)_. It is easy, even though it feels like it shouldn't be, to leave Konoha.

He heads west, heads home, heads to _Uzushio_.

* * *

**_Dear Sasuke,_**

**_I never once thought that this would be my life, which is – I suppose – somewhat unsurprising, as surprises are something we should expect as ninjas. Still, there was no way to foretell what the future holds. _**

**_Regardless of what has happened, what we have faced together and come through, despite I would prefer if such things could have been avoided, I can't help but be grateful that this was the outcome. That this life, out of all other possibilities, is the one we have. I am so, so thankful that you are in my life – never doubt that. I should have said it more often, said it more, just to make sure you knew. _**

**_A world without you is not one I would ever wish to be in, so look after yourself. Except, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, aren't I? I left this letter for last, since it would be the hardest, and I knew I would struggle the most trying to write this._**

**_I'm leaving Konoha, Sasuke. It has been my home, but somewhere else needs me even more now. I need it more now. And Itachi has returned to Konoha – you have your actual family again. You have no more need for me. I am sure I will see you again, it will just be in time; a few years, at most. For all that you do not need me, part of my heart will always belong to you and neither time nor distance can destroy that, as it would be destroying me._**

**_You have made me so proud, in all that you have done. And I will always be proud of you, no matter what is to come. I would protect you from everything, if you gave me the chance and allowed me to. But you are capable, all by yourself and with your teammates, and it is not me, who you need. I would only inhibit you, stifle your growth, and you would hate me for that, I would imagine. You can grow without me, and will grow better. _**

**_I love you,  
Toru Uchiha _**

The note crinkles in Sasuke's hand, an unconscious gesture. Quickly, he loosens his grip, not wanting to tear or ruin the note that- that might be important. He reads through it once again, taking in the printed characters and their slight slant, _(the calligraphy of a fūinjutsu master, Toru had once called his writing, making light of it with a mocking laugh, and Sasuke- Sasuke had done nothing; now, though, now he would do something)_.

Sasuke places the note down on the table, making sure it remains that way, and looks about. The uneasy feeling he'd first perceived when he'd entered the apartment returns, heavy and thick, slipping down his back and curling over his shoulders.

Now he knows why. Toru's stuff is all missing. There are a few things – but anything he'd need in the long term is gone. The note makes sense and Sasuke hates it, _(he just had Itachi return to him, so why is everything falling to pieces again?)_.

He lets the door slam shut behind him, leaping out the open window with Takuma beside him. The Hokage's Office is within sight and he sprints over the rooftops, uncaring of what he looks like or who may see him.

After all, Sasuke doesn't care what happens. He's ready to do anything to get his _brother_ back.

* * *

**Uzushio fell, but did not remain that way. Toru Mizushima died, but he did not stay dead. Itachi Uchiha was banished from Konoha, but he came back. Sasuke Uchiha was left to live alone, but he did not. Naruto Uzumaki was without a family, but found one anyway. Happy endings are within everyone's grasp, and so Toru Uchiha leaves for a village that calls his name.**

* * *

**Toru doesn't realise that he has much of an impact on people, doesn't realise that he can leave their lives and they won't mind too much in the long run. In essence, he underestimates his impact on them. He understands that they will miss him, but thinks that they will get over it, that they will continue living (and he's not technically wrong, but there's a massive lack of closure which he hadn't even considered).**

**I was worried about the length of this chapter, and it's probably quite choppy due to the letters and all that - but I hope you've all enjoyed this regardless.**

**So like, I didn't write the whole Tsunade arc because that's a lot of effort, and I wanted to get to this part. It's pretty much the exact same as canon, more or less. Also, Naruto refers to Itachi as 'You Know Who'. There's no reason for this, but Naruto doesn't really like Itachi for obvious reasons (i.e. hurt Sasuke, almost killed Toru) but likes Sasuke so yeah.**

**UZUSHIO! TORU IS RETURNING! There have been so many hints and we've seen quite often that the only thing that keeps Toru returning to Konoha is Sasuke and, to a smaller extent, Naruto. Now that that's taken care of, Toru's ready to return to Uzushio. I've had so many clues scattered across this series, and feel free to ask what ones there were! I mean... Uzushio was always going to return. It's a Very Very cool place and I've enjoyed writing about it.**

**And then, of course, we've had a complete role reversal. Itachi is in Konoha and Toru is the one that Sasuke's now chasing (also, Sasuke finally admits that Toru is his brother and that is so much character development hidden there). Anyway, the next book will be mainly split into two sections - Toru and Sasuke. I'm not sure how well that will go, and I'm going to focus on finishing Ocean's Own before I start that. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this book and you enjoy Wayfinder!**


End file.
